Primary care physician supply and the medically underserved: a status report and recommendations

Article Abstract:

Although Americans tend to believe that health care is a right rather than a privilege, many Americans lack access to continuing medical care. One way of improving this situation is to encourage young physicians to become family practitioners. New state-supported medical schools, federal funding for primary care training of all types of medical personnel, scholarship support through the National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and support for community and migrant health centers would also increase access to medical care. Federal support for such programs increased during the 1970s, but during the Reagan administration federal support declined, and cost-containment strategies had a profound effect on the training and distribution of health professionals. It was assumed that the growing number of physicians would alleviate the problem. Instead, it led to increased competition for the more desirable areas of practice in high-paying, high-technology specialties. The current supply of primary physicians and the declining interest in primary care specialties are discussed. The role of the federal government in training and financing primary care physicians, and its influence on community-based education are described. Seven recommendations for a framework for long-term planning are proposed. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Social aspects, Supply and demand, Political aspects, Physicians (General practice), General practitioners, Medical education policy, Medically underserved areas

---

Medical migration and the physician workforce: international medical graduates and American medicine

Article Abstract:

Increasing numbers of international medical graduates (IMGs) complete residencies in the US and ultimately enter the US physician workforce. Foreign national (FN) IMGs may obtain a temporary or permanent visa to engage in research, clinical practice, or teaching in the US. Many FN-IMGs gain US entry via temporary visas and subsequently attain permanent immigration status. Between 1988 and 1993, the number of US medical school graduates remained constant while the number of IMGs in US residency programs increased by more than 80%. Estimates suggest that 70% to 75% of all IMGs in residency programs will ultimately practice in the US. Most IMGs complete internal medicine or pediatric residencies by filling openings in high-vacancy programs. Many subspecialize following this training. Since 1980, IMGs accounted for approximately 20% of all practicing US physicians. Practice locations chosen by IMS and US medical school graduates are similar.

Practice, Demographic aspects, Emigration and immigration, Residents (Medicine), Minorities in medicine, Physicians, Foreign, Foreign physicians

---

The National Practitioner Data Bank: report from the first year

Article Abstract:

Legislation enacted by Congress in 1986 created the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). Legislators and patients were concerned that doctors who had had their licenses revoked could simply move to another state because there was no national listing of actions taken against doctors. The NPDB contains information on malpractice payments made on behalf of doctors and reports of actions taken against them, such as revoking their licenses or privileges at a hospital. These reports can be made by state medical boards, hospitals or professional societies. Hospitals must request a search of the NPDB whenever they offer a doctor hospital privileges. The NPDB began operation in Sep 1990, and since then has received almost 800,000 queries, most from hospitals. The database contains over 18,000 reports, and 85% are reports of malpractice payments. There are fewer reports of actions taken against doctors than would be expected.

Reports, Physicians, Medical professions, Information services, Malpractice, Centralized databases

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Substance use among senior medical students: a survey of 23 medical schools. Resident physician substance use in the United States
• Abstracts: A dual approach to the AIDS epidemic. Public health policy and the AIDS epidemic: an end to HIV exceptionalism?
• Abstracts: Fetal choroid plexus cysts in the second trimester of pregnancy: a cause for concern. Choroid plexus cysts and trisomy 18: risk modification based on maternal age and multiple-marker screening
• Abstracts: Pain in sickle cell disease: rates and risk factors. The acute chest syndrome of sickle cell disease. Prediction of adverse outcomes in children with sickle cell disease
• Abstracts: Alcohol intake in relation to diet and obesity in women and men. part 2 Physical activity, obesity, and risk for colon cancer and adenoma in men

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.