Question

with changes in reimbursement by the govt (to which most private third-party payers also follow to some degree) there has been a fundamental shift where physicians tend to specialize (invest a couple more years in education/training) to realize a higher ability to recoup those costs (Return on Investment). However, this has left a growing need for generalist healthcare providers. Solutions?

Answer 1

Massive changes in the reimbursement programme replace the fee-for-service model and promote value-based care. Fee for service is an old traditional model where the physician gets a payment based on the number of services or procedures provided. Reimbursement changes make overutilization of physician to provide the number of value-based services to compensate. Physicians move towards the specialist area for high earnings which needs additional training. Generalist physician demand will increase where the patient has to see the specialist for the minor issues which increases the more number of tests and procedures. Third party payer makes the patient visit the physician multiple times. This took long-term care and requires to visit the multiple specialists and needs to pay out-of-pocket. so this will make a demand of the generalist health care providers in the future. People tend to protect themselves from multiple tests. Value-based care makes the physician isolated and overstressed. On another side, the patient also confused about their own managed care. So the meeting the gap of generalized health care providers is necessary for appropriate care and possible outcomes.