Original Research

Utilization of Primary Care Physicians by Medical Residents: A Survey-Based Study

Journal of Clinical Outcomes Management. 2018 October;25(8):357-366

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These limitations aside, our study has important strengths. This is the first national study of its kind with specific questions addressing primary care access and utilization, prescription medication use and related practices, and the prevalence of medical conditions among trainees. Important differences in the rates of establishing primary care between male and female respondents, first- year and senior residents, and those with and without chronic disease suggest a need to target specific resident groups (males, interns, those without pre-existing conditions) for wellness-related interventions. Such interventions could include distribution of a list of local providers to first year residents, advanced protected time for doctor’s appointments, and safeguards to ensure health information is protected from potential supervisors. Future studies should also include residents from non-primary care oriented specialties such as surgery, emergency medicine, and anesthesiology to obtain results that are more generalizable to the resident population as a whole. Additionally, the rates of inappropriate prescriptions were not insignificant and warrant further evaluation of the driving forces behind these behaviors.

Conclusion

Medical residents have a substantial burden of chronic illness that may not be met through interactions with PCPs. More research into barriers that residents face while accessing care and an assessment of interventions to facilitate their access to care is important to promote trainee well-being. Without such direction and initiative, it may prove harder for physicians to heal themselves or those for whom they provide care.

Acknowledgments: We thank Suzanne Winter, the study coordinator, for her support with editing and formatting the manuscript, Latoya Kuhn for performing the statistical analysis and creating data tables, and Dr. Namita Sachdev and Dr. Renuka Tipirneni for providing feedback on the survey instrument. We also thank the involved programs for their participation.

Corresponding author: Vineet Chopra, NCRC 2800 Plymouth Rd., Bldg 16, 432, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, vineetc@med.umich.edu.

Financial disclosures: None.

Previous presentations: Results were presented at the Annual Michigan Medicine 2017 Internal Medicine Research Symposium.