MSNBC - Universal Healthcare Bad Because We Don't Have Enough Doctors? Please...

God forbid that we make health care more accessible, because we may not have enough doctors to go around? You have to love the corporate media doing the propaganda work for the right wing. First, health care reform is not going to be implemented overnight. Second, if there is demand for primarcy care physicians, they can always shift from the numerous specialties and sub-specialties we now see. Third, the plan also includes incentives for new doctors to go into primary care.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32829974/ns/health-health_care/

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50 million new patients? Expect doc shortages
Revamped health care system could swamp primary care physicians

BOSTON - Among the many hurdles facing President Barack Obama's plan to revamp the nation's health care system is a shortage of primary care physicians — those legions of overworked doctors who provide the front line of medical care for both the sick and those hoping to stay healthy.

As Massachusetts' experience shows, extending health care to 50 million uninsured Americans will only further stress the system and could force many of those newly insured back into costly emergency rooms for routine care if they can't find a primary care doctor, health care observers said.

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To keep up with the demand for primary care doctors, the country will need to add another 40,000 to the existing 100,000 doctors over the next decade or face a soaring backlog, according to Dr. Ted Epperly, president of the Kansas-based American Academy of Family Physicians.

"It's like giving everyone free bus passes, but there are only two buses," he said.

The need for more primary care doctors comes as the country's shortage of all doctors is expected to worsen, according to a study by the Association of American Medical Colleges, which found the rate of first-year enrollees in U.S. medical schools has declined steadily since 1980.

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If everyone has health-care, perhaps illness would be dealt with more promptly, and therefore more easily, requiring less of a physician's time.

Because the AMA makes sure the # of student openings at med schools remain small, to keep salaries large.

that. They're not making any money off of me bc I haven't been to one since 1980 when I broke my wrist.

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2009/06/why-are-md-salaries-so-high-medical.html

One explanation is the restriction on the number of medical schools, and the subsequent restriction on the number of medical students, and ultimately the number of physicians. Consider the difference between law schools and medical schools.

There won't BE 40 million "new" patients. There will be almost exactly the same number of patients that there are now. The difference will be that Nurse Practitioners or Physicians Assistants will now see these patients, rather than nursing staff and doctors at the Emergency Room. At a much lower cost. And soon enough to actually treat the problem when it was first noticed by the patient, rather than when it will be too late or at a much higher cost.

Again, they want it both ways in the argument.

First they tell us that the uninsured don't NEED insurance because they get health care at any ER.

Now they tell us that IF we insure them, we don't have the doctors to see them.

Idiots.

Thousands of them here already, expect many more. Mostly from India but other places as well.

Just like if weed were legalized, there wouldn't be a huge increase in weed smokers just because it's legal. At least I don't think there would be.

could increase it's number of doctors over a ten year span, particulary in this economy.

And maybe there would be more doctors if they didn't keep their numbers down artificially via the AMA.

then it is GREAT NEWS! In an economy where whole industries are going down in smoke, and taking their jobs with them permanently, sounds like many young students should flock to medical school, where they will practically be guaranteed a post graduation job, unlike many other students in different fields.

One industry with job growth thanks to health care reform. F' MSNBC.

In the US its 25 - 75


All the US has to do is help transition specialists back to family practice.

And they have universal health care too! Maybe someone should try to find out how they do it!