20% of U.S. adults say they don't have a primary care physician, Yahoo/YouGov poll finds. Here's why doctors say you need one.
Do you go to an annual physical each year? A new Yahoo News/YouGov poll has found that a significant number of Americans don’t have a physician to call upon for such appointments. The survey of 1,482 U.S. adults, which was conducted between March 8 and 11, found that while 77% of Americans have a primary care physician (PCP), 20% do not; 4% of those surveyed were unsure whether or not they did.
The data suggests the older you are, the more likely you are to have a primary care physician: 82% of 45- to 64-year-olds who were surveyed have a primary care physician, while 93% of those over 65 have one. But just 54% of respondents aged 18 to 29 reported having a primary care physician, along with 76% of those aged 30 to 44.
Where do people who don’t have a PCP turn when they need medical care? Among those who reported not having a regular physician, 4% said they seek out a specialist “as needed” for medical care, while 3% go to urgent care or an emergency room. Another 10% claim they “don’t visit the doctor regularly.” Meanwhile, 2% of respondents said they were “not sure who I would see” if they needed medical attention, and 1% said they look for “other types of care” for their medical needs.
Why you should see a primary care physician
Dr. Paul Molling, chair of family medicine at the Mayo Clinic Health System in Wisconsin, tells Yahoo Life he recommends seeing your PCP as a first line of defense when you are sick. These doctors are better informed about a patient’s medical history than an urgent care doctor or emergency care physician, making them more likely to properly assess a health issue, he says.
People can and should turn to urgent care or emergency services for an immediate health matter, or if they’re unable to get an appointment with their regular doctor after hours. However, Molling notes that there are other reasons why you should seek out a visit with a PCP, if that is an option: These visits can be less costly and more time-efficient than visiting an urgent care clinic or emergency room, which typically involve long wait times.
Molling says that a “primary care physician serves a vital role in your health” — and not just when you are sick. “Seeing your physician for a routine health checkup is as important, or even more important, to keep from becoming ill or avoiding long-term health conditions that may be prevented,” he explains. For example, PCPs can address medication needs and potential lifestyle changes (such as diet or exercise) worth making.
Dr. Nehal Galal, medical director of primary care at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life that the comprehensive history PCPs have on their patients means they can help these patients “identify potential risk factors for health conditions based on their medical and family history.” This may mean ordering preventative tests, such as cancer screenings, or looking out for symptoms of an ailment you are predisposed to. In fact, a recent study from the University of Michigan showed that people with cardiovascular risk factors were more likely to improve their heart health after seeing a primary care doctor.
For those between the ages of 18 and 50, Molling recommends a physical exam at least every one to three years. For those over 50, these exams should be annual, he says.
What about specialists?
Molling notes that specialists — such as an ob-gyn, endocrinologist or dermatologist — are great to see when needed, but more often than not, a general practitioner has the knowledge to care for a patient’s needs. “Often a specialist deals with one body system versus your primary care physician, who accounts for all body systems,” he explains, noting that a PCP will refer you to a specialist when the needs of the patient are outside of their scope. Molling adds that specialists typically cost more to see than a visit to a PCP, and therefore shouldn’t be relied on for typical care.
Even if you do regularly see a specialist for specific needs, a PCP can be helpful when navigating the medical system, Galal says. These doctors can be “advocates and allies” to patients experiencing complex health concerns by “coordinating care with specialty providers and helping to guide patients’ overall care plan,” she says.
