A Country Doctor Writes

JULY 1, 2025

I wrote this when I was working for a fairly traditional primary care office, a Federally Qualified Health Center, which did have a somewhat preferential pay rate from Medicare and Medicaid, in part because we offered sliding feee to uninsured patients, in part because we offered a few “enabling services” as the bureaucrats call it.

Primary Care 200

Primary Care Patient-Centered Government Family Doctor 200

The Health Policy Exchange

SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

Health Policy Fellowship three years ago, though I still enjoy working alongside these talented family physicians in clinic, such as Dr. Brian Antono, who recently blogged about his fellowship experiences for Harvard Medical School's Center for Primary Care. CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield joined the program in 2020.)

Primary Care 130

Primary Care Primary Care Physician Patient-Centered Behavioral Health Services 130

Common Sense Family Doctor

MARCH 15, 2025

In a traditional health care setting, many administrative burdens and barriers stand in the way of patients receiving evidence-based care. Paperwork required to sign up for health insurance and to establish care with a practice. Travel to the doctor’s office. Wait times.

Screening 52

Screening Insurance Primary Care Referral 52

Common Sense Family Doctor

JANUARY 19, 2025

Most patients who choose colonoscopy as a screening test for colorectal cancer are referred from primary care to a gastroenterologist or other specialist who performs endoscopy. But that wasn’t the case for the estimated 1 in 15 US patients whose screening colonoscopies were performed by family physicians in 2021.

Family Physician 52

Family Physician Families Family Board-Certified 52

Common Sense Family Doctor

MAY 30, 2025

The US Preventive Services Task Force , the American Academy of Family Physicians , and the American College of Chest Physicians recommend annual low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening for adults 50 to 80 years of age who have at least a 20 pack-year smoking history and currently smoke or have smoked within the past 15 years.

Primary Care 59

Primary Care Screening Family Physician Family Medicine 59