placenta does not belong in your hair

8th November 2008

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Q&A with Obama: Health Policy (an excerpt)

The foundation of our healthcare system, the primary care doctor, is critically endangered. What would you do to ensure an adequate supply of primary care physicians to care for our growing and aging population?

Our ability to improve the health care system and reduce costs through greater care coordination and prevention depends on an adequate supply of primary care physicians.   Yet, the numbers of primary care physicians are dwindling and the existing workforce is further challenged by inadequate training for new health threats such as bioterrorism and avian flu, antiquated funding and reimbursement mechanisms, and limited access to real-time information and technical support.  Joe Biden and I will increase the number of primary care physicians through expanded funding-including loan repayments, adequate reimbursements, grants for training curricula, and infrastructure support to improve working conditions- to ensure a strong workforce that will champion prevention and broader public health activities.