The healthcare system in the United States is struggling with an increasing demand for medical services and a dwindling number of doctors, particularly those specializing in primary care and emergency medicine. As a result, patients are increasingly leaving hospitals without ever seeing a doctor. A recent study analyzed data from over 1,000 US hospitals between 2017 and the end of 2021 and found that those with the worst performance had around 4.4% of ER patients leave before receiving medical care. By the end of 2021, this number had risen to over 10.
One major issue contributing to this crisis is the growing levels of career burnout among doctors. Studies have shown that younger generations of physicians are more aware of the importance of work-life balance and are less likely to be available for emergencies or to take on extra shifts, which can lead to longer wait times for patients. Furthermore, as the US population ages, there is an increasing need for chronic disease management, putting even more strain on the healthcare system.
Another factor exacerbating the situation is the rise of corporate medicine, which evaluates doctors based on their billing and revenue-generating capabilities rather than the quality of care they provide or patient satisfaction levels. This has led to a decline in face-to-face interactions between patients and doctors, with only 36% of overnight hospital patients reporting that they were able to speak with a doctor when needed, down from 43% in 2011.
To address these challenges, some healthcare professionals have called for increased investment in primary care services and improved accessibility for patients in rural and urban settings. Others argue that medical scribes can help alleviate the burden of paperwork on doctors, allowing them to spend more time with their patients. However, it remains unclear whether these solutions will be sufficient to address the growing crisis in the US healthcare system.