WHY PRIMARY CARE

Primary Care leads the team in today's higher quality, lower cost health care model. 

SUPPORTING PRIMARY CARE IS IN OUR SELF INTEREST

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, R-Dist. 13, discusses our obligation to support Primary Care physicians and Primary Care medical education in New Jersey.  

ADDING PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS VS SPECIALISTS

What happens when you add primary care physicians and family physicians versus specialists?

COMPARE THE RESULTS

  • Adding 20% more primary care physicians (1 per 10,000 ppl) decreases mortality with 5.3% fewer deaths.
  • Adding 33% more family physicians (1 per 10,000 ppl) decreases mortality with 9% fewer deaths.
  • Adding 8% more specialists (1 per 10,000 ppl) increases mortality with 2% more deaths.

-- Shi L et al. J Am Board Fam Med 2003;16:412-22.

THE CASE FOR PRIMARY CARE

New Jersey Voters Agree: primary care should be a priority for policy makers. Click image to view full size.

Primary care medicine is on the front lines of health care. It’s a critical factor in making the health system work — not just in providing care, but also in making it accessible to people.

We know: Access to primary care physicians increases the likelihood that community members will have routine checkups and screenings.

We know: Communities that lack a sufficient number of primary care physicians typically have community members who delay necessary care when sick and conditions can become more severe and complicated – and costly.

We know: When states increase the supply of primary care physicians, they see improved health outcomes and decreased mortality from cancer, heart disease, stroke and infant mortality.

We know: Access to primary care improves outcomes:

  • Increased immunizations
  • Improved blood pressure control
  • Reduced mortality
  • Improved quality of life

We know: States with more primary care providers have less Medicare spending and provide more effective and higher quality care. NJ ranks in the top 10 in Medicare costs overall and second highest in health care costs in the last two years of life.

We know: When adults with a regular primary care physician have 33% lower health care costs.

We know: States with high ratios of primary care to specialty care have best overall value (cost and quality).

FAQs: primary care physicians and the primary care team

Primary care typically includes the following medical specialties:  family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, and sometimes general OB/GYN. 

The primary care team includes primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, care coordinators, behavioral health professionals, social workers, and other non-medical providers supporting coordination of medical services for patients.

Not only are physicians lured by medical specialties with higher rates of reimbursement, but also over 50% of advanced practice nurses and physician assistants are not choosing primary care specialties and are working in other specialties.