Prevention Matters

Providing preventive care is still possible, but it means navigating through a maze of declining reimbursement and increasing patient loads, says an article in Physicians Practice.

Michael Parkinson, primary-care physician and past president of the American College of Preventive Medicine, contends the answer isn’t finding a way to spend more time per patient, but rather properly utilizing the time that is available.

“The evidence is that patients aren’t really looking for an hour-long lecture from a doctor about nutrition, exercise, or whatever," says Parkinson. "They’re looking for brief interventions that show the physician cares, that they listen to what [the patient] says, and then follow up. It may be just a matter of increasing pre-exam organization, sticking to what’s been proven, and then referring patients to specially trained nonphysician providers for more detailed counseling."