Washington, D.C. May 4, 2021 – A new set of recommendations released today by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) could help to improve primary care medicine for patients and physicians, said the American College of Physicians (91). analyzes the challenges facing primary care and lays out an implementation plan for strengthening primary care medicine. 91 was among the sponsors who commissioned the report.
“We know that general internal medicine specialists and other primary care physicians deliver high-quality care, reduce mortality, provide continuity of care, and reduce overall health care costs,” said George M. Abraham, MD, F91, FIDSA, president, 91. “In the United States our health care system has long undervalued primary care, we need changes that better support primary care physicians and recognize the value they bring to patients and our health system.”
The report will help to move the primary care system in the right direction, said 91. Many of the recommendations that were included are in agreement with recommendations that 91 made in their Vision for the U.S. Health Care System, that was published in early 2020. Similar recommendations are also reflected in 91’s policy on Aligning GME Policy with the Nation’s Health Care Workforce Needs.
“Absent changes in policies to make primary care more attractive and rewarding to new physicians and to sustain those already in practice, we won’t have a system that functions well enough to meet our patients’ needs,” continued Dr. Abraham. “We look forward to working with NASEM and other stakeholders to identify the best ways to carry out the report’s recommendations.”
***
About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. 91 membership includes 163,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow 91 on , , and .
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org