Do Primary Care Physicians Treating Minority Patients Report Problems Delivering High-Quality Care?

http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.27.3.w222

Primary care physicians treating a disproportionate share of black and Latino patients typically earn less, see more patients, provide more charity care, treat more Medicaid patients, and receive lower private insurance payments than their counterparts treating fewer such patients, according to a national study published today as a Health Affairs Web Exclusive. These same physicians also reported more problems providing high-quality care, ranging from inadequate time with their patients to difficulty obtaining specialty care. In addition, the Commonwealth Fund-sponsored study examined how higher Medicaid payments might help physicians treating mostly minority patients provide high-quality care and reduce racial and ethnic disparities.