Healthcare Must Expand Primary Care Models, Says Report

Despite what goes on at the federal level, payment reform needs to be addressed as well. "This is s tricky issue," Dzau said. "How we do that [will be met with] a long debate, but I think the issue is to rebalance—not to take away but to balance at the appropriate level support." This could help providers feel more incentivized and rewarded "for what they do."

Other recommendations from the Macy Foundation panel are:

• Medical, nursing, and other health professions schools must educate students differently for careers in primary care. They should expose students early in their education to primary care, immerse them in community primary care practice settings, teach them to work in teams, and identify effective role models for them.


• Schools should strive to attract more students into primary care by establishing programs to diversify their student bodies socioeconomically, racially, and geographically


• Academic health centers should embrace new team based primary care systems as part of their mission; they must provide interprofessional leadership by developing and implementing effective delivery models for others to replicate.