An overwhelming majority of patients (95 percent) report satisfaction with their primary care physician, according to a national patient survey commissioned by The Physicians Foundation, a non-profit organization seeking to empower physicians to lead in the delivery of high-quality, cost-efficient healthcare. However, only 11 percent of patients and 14 percent of physicians report that they have all the time they need together. This signals a significant challenge to providing high quality care, especially when 90 percent of patients feel the most essential element of a quality healthcare system is a solid physician-patient relationship.

U.S. physicians continue to struggle to maintain morale levels, adapt to changing delivery and payment models, and provide patients with reasonable access to care. The combination of these factors leaves a majority of physicians feeling that they lack time to provide the highest level of care. These findings are based on a biennial survey of over 17,000 U.S. physicians commissioned by the Physicians Foundation, a nonprofit organization that seeks to advance the work of practicing physicians and help facilitate the delivery of healthcare to patients.

The Physicians Foundation announced the release of "Poverty and the Myths of Health Care Reform," a thought-provoking and data-rich book documenting the impact of social determinants on healthcare costs. Authored by the late Richard (Buz) Cooper, M.D., the book draws on decades of health research and economic data to demonstrate the pervasive, debilitating effects of poverty on healthcare costs, resource utilization and overall patient outcomes. The book, now available, is published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

A new patient survey, released by the Physicians Foundation in May 2016, found that nine out of 10 U.S. adults report high levels of satisfaction with their primary care physician. However, patients cite increasing concern and frustration with their ability to manage rising healthcare costs and medical debt, with many indicating that they have avoided treatment plans, routine or specialty check-ups, or prescriptions as a result.

The Physicians Foundation is launching its fourth national Survey of America’s Physicians, one of the largest physician surveys ever undertaken in the United States. We’d like to hear from as many physicians as possible so we can accurately understand – and share with the public – physicians’ perspectives on the most significant issues in medicine and healthcare today.

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