Survey reveals national attitudes toward primary care

Survey reveals national attitudes toward primary care June 21, 2017

Independent primary care physicians work hard and face many challenges. The primary care physician focuses on overall patient health, while collaborating with specialty providers and healthcare facilities. Of course, improved patient outcomes are reward enough, but independent primary care physicians may also be wondering, what do Americans think about the state of primary care now?

A survey was conducted recently of 22,800 registered voters to determine their attitudes toward primary care. The survey was part of the Health is Primary campaign, out of Family Medicine for America’s Health (FMAHealth) which was created in 2013 by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The survey participants overwhelmingly agreed that “primary care should be a priority for policy makers.”

In addition, 86% of the survey participants stated that “primary care leads to: healthier patients, higher quality health care, and lower costs.” 88% of Americans responding to the survey said it is important to “ensure coverage for preventive and wellness care to keep patients healthy” and an equal number said it is important to “ensure an adequate supply of primary care doctors.”

Among the priorities for their own health included in the survey, the highest percentage of respondents, 89%, said “it’s important to have a relationship with a doctor or physician who knows your health background and your family and medical history.” Independent primary care physicians who communicate regularly with their patients are able to develop that relationship that then enables them to provide quality healthcare.

In addition, an EHR system that provides all of the patient’s health information in one place, available with one touch, assists the primary care physicians in gathering an overall picture of their patients’ background and medical history. At Elation, we are focused on supporting that physician-patient relationship that has been identified as an important factor in the national attitudes toward primary care.