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Physicians who routinely treat the elderly in
Rural Florida are reducing or eliminating some of the services they
provide. These cut backs are affecting access to care for the
elderly in a state which has the highest proportion of elderly
residents.
This research, funded in part by Florida’s Office of Rural Health,
found that 54.9% of physicians surveyed have eliminated services in
the past year. Those with a high volume of Medicare patients were
even more likely to cut back on services such as mental health
services, vaccines and pap smears.
Results point to the medical malpractice crisis, decreasing Medicare
reimbursements and general dissatisfaction with their practice as
the reasons for decreasing services offered to this already
vulnerable group.
The study’s lead researcher Anne Gunderson, GNP, CRRN-A says “
practice dissatisfaction is related to decreased quality of care,
riskier prescribing practices, and an increased likelihood to leave
practice or relocate,” suggesting further researching and monitoring
is necessary.
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