Manpower Policy: Base It on Facts, Not Opinions

Abstract

It is widely perceived that physicians are maldistributed both geographically and by specialty. Problems in access to and the costs of medical care are thought to result from this maldistribution. In accord with these perceptions, means are being sought to induce the training of fewer subspecialists and more physicians who would engage exclusively in primary care. There is still debate about whether the needs for primary care would be better served by family physicians, by general internists and general pediatricians or, indeed, by non-physician primary-health-care professionals. There is also considerable room for discussion over how this redirection of training can . . .