National Group Seeks to Give Physicians A Voice

IRVING, TX --  What is the state of primary care practice in America today?   Can primary care physicians continue to provide patient care in the face of rising costs, reimbursement cuts and pervasive government regulations?   What do primary care doctors themselves have to say about the direction of medical practice in America?

The Physicians’ Foundation for Health Systems Excellence (PFHSE), a not-for-profit group composed of medical societies and physician leaders, is seeking answers to these questions by undertaking one of most ambitious physician surveys ever attempted.   Beginning in May, 2008, PFHSE will send over 300,000 surveys to primary care physicians and selected medical specialists throughout the country.   The survey will be sent to virtually every active primary care physician nationwide, and to specialists in small, independent practices. 

“We have heard from the pundits about the state of medical care in the United States,” notes Louis Goodman, Ph.D. president of PFHSE and executive vice president of the Texas Medical Association.  “It’s time we heard what physicians have to say.”

According to Dr. Goodman, the survey asks primary care physicians about the state of their practices and whether or not they can maintain patient care services in light of regulatory and financial burdens.   The key question posed by the survey, Dr. Goodman observes, is can doctors meet the needs of patients under current practice conditions?

“If the survey indicates that medical practice itself is in jeopardy, that urgent message needs to be heard by policy makers and the public,” states Walker Ray, M.D., vice president of PFHSE and former president of the Medical Association of Georgia.

PFHSE has partnered with national physician search and consulting firm Merritt, Hawkins & Associates to develop and mail the survey.   Tim Norbeck, executive director of PFHSE and longtime former executive director of the Connecticut State Medical Society, notes that physicians around the country will soon be receiving the survey and he urges them to participate.

“This is a critical chance for doctors to have their voices heard,” Mr. Norbeck says.   “The more physicians who participate, the more persuasive their voices will be.”

To participate, download the survey document listed below. Instructions for returning the survey are included. For additional information, please email us at info@physiciansfoundations.org