Five important articles for National Primary Care Week

The 21st National Primary Care Week is observed through Oct. 9.

This week, the American Medical Student Association is offering special presentations on topics in primary care such as telehealth and environmental impacts on health.

The American Academy of Family Physicians announced that it is participating in this year’s event by inviting five family physicians from across the country to take over its Instagram account and give followers a “behind-the-scenes look at a specialty where no two days are alike.”

In recognition of National Primary Care Week, Healio Primary Care compiled a list of stories that primary care physicians and those in training may find relevant.

COVID-19 pandemic highlights need for primary care investments

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted long-existing and forthcoming shortages in the primary care workforce and financial resources. Healio Primary Care asked several experts for suggestions that could potentially alleviate some of these concerns. Read more.

Q&A: Pennsylvania program offers some students free tuition to increase number of PCPs

The Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Primary Care Scholars Program, which began earlier this summer, was intended to boost the number of PCPs. Steven J. Scheinman, MD, FACP, FASN, a professor in the program, spoke to Healio Primary Care about its development. Read more.

Access to more primary care physicians associated with lower mortality

There was lower population-level mortality in counties of the United States where the number of PCPs increased, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Read more.

‘Think big or go home’: Harvard wants to reshape primary care

Researchers at Harvard Medical School’s Center for Primary Care are tackling some of the biggest issues in the field — limited resources, reimbursement and burnout — both in the United States and abroad. Read more.

Visits to primary care drop among commercially insured Americans

Visits to PCPs dropped by 24.2% from 2008 to 2016, according to research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Read more.

References:

• AAFP. National Primary Care Week. https://www.aafp.org/students-residents/medical-students/fmig/lead-fmig/collaborate/npcw.html. Accessed Oct. 5, 2020.
• American Medical Student Association. National Primary Care Week. https://www.amsa.org/events/npcw/. Accessed Oct. 5, 2020.