Summary: Primary care is the foundation of any health care system. Primary care providers offer public health and individual care for patients in all age groups and respond to acute and chronic health problems with medical and surgical interventions. The principles of primary care are versatile and applicable, and experience shows that primary care is essential in all phases of disasters. It plays a critical role, particularly in restoring affected healthcare systems. Primary care providers are trained to understand illness in the local context. They are flexible to balance limited resources for community and individual care, skills that become critical during a crisis. Proximity in disasters allows primary care to 1) protect families, 2) train local providers, and 3) empower people. These significant roles are hampered by a shortage of skilled primary care providers, both in general and when most needed: in response to a disaster. Even more concerning is the scarcity of competent primary care educators with the experience and skill to walk the walk, talk the talk, and grow the specialty.
Masahiro J. Morikawa (Sun,) studied this question.