Do primary care physicians treating minority patients report problems delivering high-quality care?
Racial and ethnic disparities in primary health care likely reflect the aggregate socioeconomic composition of a physician's patient panels as well as differences in individual patients' characteristics. National physician survey data indicate that physicians in high-minority practices depend more on low-paying Medicaid, receive lower private insurance reimbursements, and have lower incomes. These constrained resources help explain the greater quality-related difficulties delivering care reported by these physicians--such as coordination of care, ability to spend adequate time with patients during office visits, and obtaining specialty care--that relate directly to physicians' ability to function as their patients' medical home.
Reschovsky
James D
JD
Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington, DC, USA. jreschovsky@hschange.org
O'Malley
Ann S
AS
D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States