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May 24, 2012New England Journal of Medicine159 citations

Sharing the Care to Improve Access to Primary Care

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AGAmireh GhorobTBThomas Bodenheimer

Key Points

  • The aim is to investigate the issues related to access to primary care for American adults and the impact of care sharing.
  • Analyzed wait time data for internal medicine and family medicine appointments in Massachusetts.
  • Reviewed national survey data from 2011 and 2006 regarding patient access to care.
  • Identified trends in access to care following health insurance expansion.
  • Wait times for family medicine averaged 36 days and 48 days for internal medicine.
  • Access problems increased, with 57% of patients unable to obtain timely medical attention in 2011.
  • Observation of a growing imbalance between demand for care and the capacity to provide it.

Abstract

Gaining prompt access to primary care is a growing concern for all American adults. In Massachusetts, average wait times for new patients to obtain an internal-medicine appointment rose by 82% in the 2 years after health insurance coverage was expanded; current wait times average 36 days for family medicine and 48 days for internal medicine.1 In a 2011 national survey, 57% of patients who were sick and needed medical attention could not obtain access to care promptly, up from 53% in 2006.2 The reason for the access problem is an imbalance between demand for care and capacity to provide care. . . .

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Cite This Study

Ghorob et al. (2012) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a17187287c007abbc05580bhttps://doi.org/10.1056/nejmp1202775
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Also Consider

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  1. 1The Concierge Catch: Better Access for a Few Patients Disrupts Care for Many2024
  2. 2Medicare Appointment Availability and Wait Times Vary Considerably Across Four Large US Urban Markets2026
  3. 3Access to general obstetrics and gynecology care among Medicaid beneficiaries and the privately insured: a nationwide mystery caller study in the USA2024
  4. 4Patient Access at The University of Kansas Health System IM Outpatient Clinics: Examining the Effect of Adding Nurse Practitioners to the Team2024
  5. 5Neurology Wait Times After Primary Care or Emergency Department Visits Among the Commercially Insured Population in the United States: 2019-2023.2026 · 1 citations