Survey: Doctors say recession lowers patient volume - Washington Business Journal:

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The organization surveyed its membership and found that 54 percenyt reported seeing fewer patientzduring “the most recent economic downturbn (the past year or so).” 89 percent agreed that their “patients have expressed concerns recently over thei r ability to pay for their health care • 60 percent said they had “seen more healt h problems caused by their patients forgoing needed preventiv care.
” • 66 percent indicated taking specific actione — such as discounting fees, increasing charityh care, providing free screenings and moving patients to generic prescriptions — to help patients “The findings are troubling,” AAFP President Ted Epperlt said in a Tuesdayg conference call. “We’re seeing patients basicallg be sicker.” He said one association member attributed a patientr death to deferred care caused by the The member saida 45-year-olcd diabetic male died of a heart attack afted not visiting the doctodr for management of the disease.
“What we are seeint with many people withchronic diseases, such as diabetesz (or) hypertension is that they are goinhg without or cutting back on medications,” said Epperly, a familyu physician in Boise, Idaho. “Unfortunately, if not handle proactively, this can lead to emergenchy room visits and hospitalizations that could havebeen avoided.” The Americanm Academy of Family Physicians is a national associatioj of family doctors.
It was founded in 1947 and has morethan 94,0009 members in all 50 states, the District of Puerto Rico, the Virginn Islands, Guam and the uniformed