Estimation of the Time Needed to Deliver the 2020 USPSTF Preventive Care Recommendations in Primary Care

Objectives. To reexamine the time required to provide the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)–recommended preventive services to a nationally representative adult patient panel of 2500. Methods. We determined the required time for a single physician to deliver the USPSTF preventive services by multiplying the eligible population, annual frequency, and patient-contact time required for each recommendation, all calculated by using data from the recommendations themselves and literature. We modeled a representative panel of 2500 adults based on the 2010 US Census Bureau data. Results. To deliver the USPSTF recommended preventive services across a 2500 adult patient panel would require 8.6 hours per working day, accounting for 131% of available physician time. Compared with 2003, there are fewer recommendations in 2020, but they require 1.2 more physician patient-contact hours per working day. Conclusions. The time required to deliver recommended preventive care places unrealistic expectations on already overwhelmed providers and leaves patients at risk. This is a systems problem, not a time-management problem. The USPSTF provides a set of recommendations with strong evidence of positive impact. It is imperative that our health care system is designed to deliver.