Op-Ed | A health system that works for everyone starts with primary care | amNewYork

New York City has world-class hospitals, research, and physicians, yet many residents cannot access primary care providers. The city faces a shortage of primary care that undermines prevention and leads to missed screenings and unmanaged chronic conditions. When people cannot get timely primary care, small health problems become severe and patients often seek help only through emergency departments. In Central Harlem, only 29% of adults age 65 and older are up to date on core preventive services, compared with 42% statewide. Nearly one in three emergency department visits in Central Harlem are preventable, versus 13% statewide. Emergency department visits cost about $1,200 compared with about $300 for primary care, increasing out-of-pocket costs and medical debt.

"New York City is known around the world as a place where you can find the very best healthcare: world-class hospitals, cutting-edge research, and some of the most renowned physicians anywhere. But for too many New Yorkers, access to something far more basic is still out of reach: seeing a primary care provider. That contradiction is not just troubling. It is unacceptable. And it is exactly why the New York State Legislature must pass the Primary Care Investment Act."

"Our city has a shortage of primary care providers that should cause serious alarm. The result is a system that too often fails to deliver the most essential kind of care: prevention. The numbers tell a sobering story, especially in neighborhoods with some of the worst health access disparities, such as Harlem. Only 29% of adults age 65 and older in Central Harlem are up to date on core preventive services, compared to 42% statewide."

"When people cannot access primary care, the consequences ripple quickly. Preventive screenings are missed. Chronic conditions go unmanaged. Small health issues become serious ones. And when patients finally seek care, it is often when their health issues become severe enough that they end up the in emergency department, which is the most expensive avenue. In Central Harlem, nearly one in three emergency department visits are preventable."

"The cost implications are driving many into unnecessary medical debt. An emergency department visit costs about $1,200, compared to roughly $300 for a primary care visit. For residents in Central Harlem, where the median household income is $42,834, this difference matters. It means higher out-of-pocket costs, more financial strain, and fewer resources for families already navigating economic challenges."

Read at www.amny.com