Redesigning After-Hours Primary Care

Abstract

Letters3 January 2012Redesigning After-Hours Primary CareMichael E. Miller, MDMichael E. Miller, MDFrom Boston University Affiliated Physicians, Boston, MA 02199.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-156-1-201201030-00018 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:The editorial by Margolius and Bodenheimer (1) in response to the successful Dutch after-hours primary care model reviewed by Giesen and colleagues (2) does not mention several essential differences between the U.S. and Dutch health care systems that would make the process of adopting such a model in the United States difficult.The Netherlands and most of Western Europe have invested in more developed primary care systems than the United States and seem to value primary care physicians more—there is a notably smaller salary gap between specialists and primary care providers in those countries. Specialty societies in ...