July 18, 2023 – Americans nationwide have experienced increased difficulty accessing affordable primary healthcare. Over 100 million Americans face barriers to accessing primary care, according to the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). The gap in access to primary healthcare results in serious public health threats, “leaving nearly one-third of the population vulnerable to preventable chronic diseases and emerging threats like COVID-19 and influenza,” according to the NACHC.
Primary care providers diagnose and treat infectious diseases in vulnerable populations, and the need for their services has been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary healthcare providers are often the first line of healthcare defense, providing patients with vaccinations, treatments, and health education. According to NACHC and the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, “primary care is the only healthcare component where an increased supply is associated with better population health and more equitable outcomes.” Primary healthcare is integral to national public health and in preventing disease transmission. The NACHC advocates for primary healthcare services to be a nationally recognized health priority.
“The primary care gap is deepening in underserved communities across our nation due to a number of trending factors including rural hospital closures, a shortage of workforce that was exacerbated by COVID, increased medical specialization and an uneven distribution of providers across the U.S.,” said Amy Simmons Farber, AVP, Media Relations for NACHC.
A patient’s ability to access primary healthcare has seen these challenges along with a doubling of patient volume since 2014. Access to primary care services is an essential healthcare need, especially in underserved communities.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us how a strong primary care foundation is essential to good public health and health equity. When one person goes without access to affordable preventive healthcare, we all feel the impact in some measure, whether it is higher healthcare costs or a crowded ER waiting room because there are patients who have no other place to go for a flu shot or diabetes treatment,” said Farber.
Read more in the latest issue of Repertoire Magazine.