With the coming healthcare reform, physicians are looking into ways to help the already-problematic system deal with the influx of new patients. The Post-Standard looked at the situation in Central New York and they noted that patients already have multiple weeks wait-time in order to see a doctor. When new patients crowd the market, that time will likely lengthen further with the gap between the number of patients and the physicians who are able to treat them widening. Rural areas have suffered from the lack of physicians as well, causing patients to drive hundreds of miles to seek care, if they can manage it. Many patients simply forego care altogether rather than deal with the hassles being created.
The Association of Medical Schools of New York is trying to counteract that problem. They are determined to fill the gap by increasing enrollment in nursing schools, medical schools, and other health professional training environments. They provide financial benefits for agreeing to work in under-served areas, including loan forgiveness and other financial aid. Additionally, steps can be taken in order to lessen the strain on physicians by spreading out the care. Patients can be treated for a variety of different ailments by other healthcare providers, which allows physicians more time in their schedules to deal with certain cases. Through the promotion of such team-oriented medicine, the industry can carry the burden of increased care. Healthcare reform is a great idea, but only if there are enough providers.
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