Democrat and Chronicle
James Tompkins abandoned his primary care search a year ago, as he faced months-long waits for a doctor visit within massive health systems seemingly designed to frustrate and mistreat New Yorkers.
Since then, the now 54-year-old Poughkeepsie man has passed tense months trying to dodge illness. At times, he turned to urgent cares for his minor medical needs, while leaving critical gaps in his overall health care.
His medical saga was among more than two dozen others that New Yorkers shared in response to USA TODAY Network New York coverage of the negative impacts of health care mergers…
…Today, a growing number of primary care doctors must become hospitalists caring for inpatients to make a living. It is a trend ignited by profit-driven health systems that favor lucrative specialty care and surgeries over community-based preventive medicine, according to University at Albany’s Center for Health Workforce Studies experts and data.