Between my husband, kids and myself, we’ve seen tons of turnover in our primary care providers in the past 6-7 years, both MDs and NPs. We’re lucky if we get to keep the same person for 2-3 years it seems. Many are moving on to different, non-patient roles. I know its a difficult landscape for many PCPs right now. Not sure if we’re just having a string of bad luck or if it is an issue in our area.
Anyone else faced something similar? Sure doesn’t give much comfort with having someone who knows your medical history and for whom you develop some modicum of rapport and trust. It feels like this will be the new “normal” though.
Edit: Forgot to add that this is prompted by receiving another notification email today from a NP changing role to train other NPs.
We’ve lost two PCPs over the years. The first one left to work for a pharmaceutical company. The second one left to work for a hospital as a geriatric specialist. They were both good guys and we hated to lose them. I hope our current one sticks around for awhile, especially with our family’s checkered medical and mental health history. It’s complicated!
I haven’t noticed this around here. The places I’ve been going have been established for years and seem to be holding steady.
On the other hand, I’ve gone through 4 PCPs in as many years (and probably a dozen in my lifetime) because it took that long to find one that actually listened to me. My former PCPs diagnosed me with heartburn when I was really having horrific gallstones, with a cold when I had pneumonia in both lungs, and so on. The one I’ve had now for a few years is fantastic. I hope she doesn’t move on in any way!
I wonder… are these all in one hospital network or any other link between them?
Technically I’ve had the same PCP for about 20 years. Problem is, I don’t always get to see him. If I have an urgent need and want to see someone today, I can, but it may be a different doctor or NP in the office (and usually is!). So it seems like I see someone different all the time–but at least they do have my whole medical history in front of them.
I am looking for a new PCP because my doctor, as I found out not too ago, died of cancer. I tried several docs and was not impressed! All of them were robot-like. Mr. has been going to the same doctor for close to 20 years now. I suspect it helps that there is a golf course near the clinic, so the doc can de-stress by taking a longer lunch break.
Not personally, but in Pittsburgh area the 2 biggest insurers have been fighting, and one of them (UPMC) owns many of the hospitals in the area, and has decided to severely limit access to subscribers of the other insurance (Highmark, which is affiliated with the other hospital group) to UPMC hospitals. So a lot of people I know had to switch PCPs based on which insurance they have. We have an HMO which has access to both hospital systems, and my PCP is independent (not owned by one of the hospital systems), which is becoming a rarity in the area.
I feel fortunate to have had the same neurosurgeon and endocrinologist for the past 15 years also. When my husband retires next year that may all change.
I’ve had the same suburban PCP for 25 years. Love the continuity and see relevant specialists as needed. DH is affiliated with a major downtown medical center and has had about 5 PCP changes (not by choice) in 13 years. By contrast, the big time specialists seem to stay nearby, often in the same institution, “forever”. Completely anecdotal, but marked difference.
I just moved and am still looking. I liked the first doctor I saw, but they were really strict on initial visit/exam for issue in the same visit. They wanted me to come twice – I mean, I know it takes more time to do both at once, but I told them when I made the appointment what I needed. Had an interview and she renewed a script I had – but no exam. I am busy, did not go back for the exam. I want a doctor who can walk & chew gum at the same time, and not make me do two different visits.
I’ve had the same guy for almost 20 years. I’ve gone in to see him twice. The second time was just recently, and I realized he stinks as a doctor and am going to try to find a new doc soon. The guy completely misdiagnosed a fairly common thing and was really unhelpful and wasted a lot of my time. I don’t have a lot of tolerance for that.
Hi and I have each been going to our (different) PCPs for two decades.
BUT first his, and a year later, mine, joined up with MDVIP. (You can Google the website.) We need to pay an annual fee to stay in their practice now, but the practices limit patient load and give much more time with patients and individual attention. It is a way for good docs to practice the way they want.
H and I both went with the programs, as we did not want to part from our excellent docs at this point in our lives and we both have some medical issues to which they have been highly attentive. (Plus my doc literally saved my life twice – no kidding – so how could I not stay with her?) Fortunately we are in a position to handle the annual fee.
But I do feel uncomfortable about this, as it means that only those who pay the fee get premium medical attention. Not very equitable IMO.
This has been a recent trend in our area (suburban Philly), may differ by area. My mom’s doc in NYC joined MVP a number of years ago.
@doschicos , this has been the experience in my area as well. Many PCPs have gone to administration because salaries and hours are better. We need to raise PCPs salaries. One friend told me that new patients have to wait till December to be seen at the clinic we go to.
I’ve had several different PCPs over the years but not because they’ve changed jobs. Instead, it’s because of the many insurance and provider changes we had to make because of my ex-husband’s unemployment and my employer’s change of insurance plans.
@romanigypsyeyes Yes, they have all been connected to one hospital system that dominates in my small city area.
@JEM If I had a doctor I liked who went the route of a boutique type practice, I’m sure I’d jump on board as well with my husband and I getting up there in years.
@cbreeze In my area, it can be challenging to find someone who is accepting new patients. We changed our health care this year and one stipulation I searched for was for a plan that covered all our doctors, which limited the options. We don’t live in some backwater area, either.
a. Large multispecialty practices?
b. Small PCP non-concierge practices?
c. Small PCP concierge practices?
It seems that (b) above are the hardest to find. Within (a), it seems that they always have some PCPs taking new patients, but perhaps not always a large number to choose from if you are picky for some reason (though their web sites often do list each PCP’s interests, so you may be able to find one with interests particularly relevant to your medical care).
So far, two changes that affected us, in all the years- one fabulous primary (DH’s) who went off to a major international research award and one who wisely left a large specialty practice that was crumbling (But he was a former doc of mine,i no longer needed him.) There’s stability here, maybe because we’re in an area with many good hospitals, few docs who feel like they aren’t connected professionally and in terms of learning.
I told my doc he can’t retire. I think he’ll do whatever works for him, not me. But it’s the practice that’s so good. If they’re busy, another doc or the NP/PA will see you. The whole practice is good.
I had the same solo PCP with 2 NP for 15 years. She sold. Then the new doc sold. Then they merged the practice. All in the last three-ish years. I wouldn’t be so aggravated except that I was each time a “new patient” and couldn’t get into see someone when I needed to. I basically used our local urgent care as a pcp for sinus infections, etc. I now am with a larger group that seems to have some stability…or at least enough providers that if one leaves the whole practice doesn’t fail.
I would imagine that the small non-concierge PCP practice struggles under the weight of insurance record keeping, since PCPs have large numbers of patients with various different insurance plans and large numbers of small, varied types of bills and insurance reimbursements.
Have never gone to an internal medicine or family practitioner doctor. My ob-gyn also did primary care and handled any needs I ever had, which were minimal. No need to involve another doctor.
My H, also an ob, is PCP for the vast majority of his patients - handles flu shots, colds, sprains, vaccines, allergy mgt, diabetes mgt, asthma mgt, etc - all the things that a family practitioner does. Silly to let them walk out the door for flu shots, etc when he can do it.
I tried several docs and was not impressed! All of them were robot-like. Mr. has been going to the same doctor for close to 20 years now. I suspect it helps that there is a golf course near the clinic, so the doc can de-stress by taking a longer lunch break.