The United States will need at least 52,000 more family physicians in 2025 to catch up with the growth of the U.S. population getting older and older, a new study found.

The forecast also reflected by the Affordable Care Act "- an additional 38 million Americans change will expand health insurance coverage.

"Health care consumer, attach importance to the relations of private doctors, especially the already struggling primary care physicians should pay attention to the potential challenges of access, they may face the future, if you do not increase the production of primary care physicians, said Dr.: Andrew Bazemore, Robert Graham in primary care and co-author of the study, published Monday in the Annals of Family Medicine Policy Research Center Director.

Stephen · Petterson, senior health policy researcher Robert Graham Center, said the government should take measures - and quickly - to solve this problem before it gets.

"We need more primary care bonus incentive program, allowing physicians to treat Medicaid patients, said:" The efforts to reduce the pay gap between specialists and primary care physicians: Petterson, who co-authored the study with Bazemore. '

However, this change may be said is easier than done.

The problem does not appear that a general doctor too small a matter of fact, in 2011, a total of 17,364 new doctors from all medical schools, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). These too few doctors, however, primary care as a career choice - the problem may worsen.

Ambulance motorcycles and the American Medical Association in the 2008 census, the researchers found that the number of medical graduates career family medicine declined in 2007 to 5,746 in 2002, 4,210 - a decrease of nearly 27%.

"It is very difficult to convince medical students to enter primary care, Dr. Li Gelin said:" Family Medicine at the University of Alberta, Canada, chairs, who did not participate in this study.

Green said, adding that he believes that this is because the primary care professional high-paying, good treatment or respect compared to physicians.

"They think their debt," he said. "Problem, doctors’ respect and how we depict the primary care medical students."

These problems are further amplified, and considering the Affordable Care Act, all Americans - With it, a primary care physician frequent contact with the purpose of providing health insurance.

Perhaps the most famous example of this approach has been, Massachusetts, since 2006, provides that each resident to obtain health insurance, and those below the federal poverty level can get free access to health care. However, although the country has the second highest population than any other country's primary care physician, they are trying to get a primary care physician.

Dr. Randy Wexler, John Glenn Public Policy Institute, said he was worried that this trend reflects the national.

"Who will take care of these people?" He said. "We will have a problem, like Massachusetts, the United States, they are in the efforts and access problems, and it takes a year to enter the primary care physician. Coverage does not equal access."

Some people have proposed solutions to this pressing problem. One view is that the non-physician health care professionals, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistant, you can pick up the slack. However, the doctor said, he might not have enough to fill the gaps.

"This will require 10 nurses practicing equal to a primary care graduates, on the basis of the volume," said Wexler.

Most experts encourage consumers to question the current system, the political leaders, to adhere to the changing needs of the design, policy, and reimbursement of the health care system of the government officials, assigned with the medical school admissions and living conditions.

But any solution Wexler said the Bush administration should do something as soon as possible.

"Looking at the shear reality, we can not open a faucet, dropping out of school a new doctor," he said. "Looking forward to for a long time to wait, and if we can not figure out how to solve this problem, the only place to go to the primary care emergency room."

Grimm's outlook is not rosy.



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