Letter to the editor: Finding a primary care physician is difficult in our country

Finding a primary care physician (PCP), i.e., general internist who cares for medical problems of adult patients, usually over age 18, or a family physician who cares for medical problems in children and adults, is quite difficult in our community and in most communities in America. Advanced care practitioners (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) are helping with this shortage, but it still remains.

There are certain characteristics that you look for when selecting a PCP. The most essential one is partnering with someone you deem trustworthy. A physician that will be with you for the long term. This is an individual who does not shy away from your questions but will provide you the knowledge that they have regarding your medical problems. She will know her limitations and refer you to an appropriate specialist if necessary. Your PCP will also try to clarify and perhaps give you more options regarding treatment. Your PCP will also be willing to tell you that the human body can sometimes be far more complex than our current state of knowledge.

The modern practice of medicine has placed all physicians under constant stress. Computer technology has made medical record keeping much better, but the systems are almost primitive, requiring highly trained physicians to spend inordinate amounts of time on data entry. These tasks can be performed much better by medical assistants who are vital components of the health care team. We all have to insist that our physicians be allowed to do what we are trained to do, which is to diagnose and come up with a treatment plan. Computers will soon enable physicians to do this much more efficiently and allow them to concentrate on that human being in front of them. The people need doctors, not the computers.

JOSEPH C. WILLIAMS, MD, FACP

Sumter