If you are interested in health care policy and you are not reading Bob Doherty’s blog, start now. Even if you do not think you are interested – try it. Today he points out that both parties understand the importance of primary care in health policy solutions – Democrats and Republicans don’t seem to agree on much … except primary care
It is highly encouraging that national policymakers "get it" when it comes to the critical role of general internal medicine and other primary care physician specialties in creating a better performing health care system. Republicans and Democrats have deep disagreements on issues ranging from comparative effectiveness research to offering the public the choice of enrolling in a Medicare-like public plan, but not on the need to have more primary care physicians in their communities.
It is also encouraging to note the enormous credibility that ACP has earned by the quality of our policy analyses and recommendations. No other organization is in as good a place as ACP to influence the health reform to help ensure that it meets the needs of internists and their patients. I wonder though how much more effective we could be if every internist belonged to the ACP.
Disclaimer – I am on the ACP Board of Regents, know Bob Doherty, and have great personal respect for his analysis. I am biased, and admit it!
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What are your thoughts on the “medical home”? I see it as a really good “idea” that will be very difficult to come to fruition. I see a one or even three person show as having a difficult time putting together the staff to take care of the information influx and outflow that the idea envisions. It seems as though only the large practices could take on such a task and make it work. Do you have other visions concerning the medical home?
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