Measuring Primary Care Capacity: Unique Patients Seen per Year and Implications for Workforce Shortages

Key Points

• The aim is to assess primary care capacity by analyzing unique patients seen annually and its impact on workforce shortages.
• Calculated the number of unique patients seen per year by primary care physicians (PCPs)
• Considered factors such as patient complexity and physician capacity
• Evaluated practice resources available to PCPs
• Identified that workforce shortages may be more severe than previously estimated
• Highlighted the significance of patient complexity on care capacity
• Emphasized the need for practices to adapt based on available resources