Who is going to be YOUR doctor? Part 2

This is a continuation of the previous post. Sorry for taking so long, but this is quite a large topic.

Why do we need DNPs?

I think the question is less of why do we need DNPs and more why do we need midlevels in general?

1. Physicians moving toward specialties

Let's face it, the government and private insurances are cutting payments to physicians so deeply, that graduating medical students no longer feel it is financially feasible to enter primary care. Sad though it may be, the intellectual fields are much less well paid than the procedural specialties.

As a result, there is a shortage of primary care physicians, and so midlevel providers (Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners) have begun to fill in the gaps. The problem comes when the midlevels, who were created to be physician extenders, try to become independent providers, as the NPs are pushing for, and, indeed, have succeeded in some states.

2. Physician shortage

In addition to the relative shortage of physicians in primary care, there are predictions that there will be a huge shortfall of physicians in all specialties.

With the increasing proportion of elderly people in our society, with all the attendant increases in health care needs, we need qualified physicians to care for them. Unfortunately, the elderly are also becoming more ill.

Midlevels want their piece of the pie. The concern I have, is that they may not be adequately trained to deal with the complex medical problems with which they will be faced, resulting in more medical mistakes and injuries due to misdiagnosis and maltreatment.

3. Access to care

Going along with the 2 prior points, with the shortage of physicians, especially primary care physicians, access to adequate care has become a real issue. The cuts in medicare and private insurance payments has also resulted in many primary care physicians refusing to see new medicare patients and some dropping medicare altogether. That is another article, however.

Part 3 to come