With Legislation Stalled, Reformers Regroup

Confronted with public opposition, a unified minority party, and an election loss that changed the balance of power in the US Senate, healthcare reform efforts have entered a new phase featuring talk of bipartisan cooperation and a healthcare summit at the White House. Democrats continue to hold majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate, but after months of debate and several narrowly won votes, their voluminous healthcare bills may no longer be viable. The opposition is calling for reformers to toss out the current Hous

In the discussion of healthcare reform in the United States, primary care physicians have been focused on as the point practitioners in the drive to deliver higher-quality care and to lower costs. Meanwhile, patient populations have increased, growing older and more complex, while net income for primary care physicians dropped by 10.2% between 1995 and 2003. Studies have indicated that greater patient satisfaction is associated with perceived and actual visit duration, and that a poor provider relationship may lead to lesser medication adherence.