The report, “Generalist and Specialty Physicians: Supply and Access, 2009–2010,” examines trends in the accessibility of generalist and specialty physicians by patients. NCHS defined generalists as physicians in family practice, general practice, internal medicine and pediatrics; specialists were physicians in all other specialties. Data come from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
Some key data points for 2009 to 2010 include the following:
• Seventy percent of generalist physicians spent 31 hours or more per week providing direct patient care, compared with 61 percent of specialty physicians.
• Forty percent of generalist physicians worked evening and weekend hours, whereas 19 percent of specialty physicians did.
• Fifty-five percent of generalist physicians reported patients waited less than a week for a routine medical examination appointment, compared with 43 percent of specialty physicians.
• Eighty-two percent of generalist physicians set aside time for same-day appointments, compared with 49 percent of specialty physicians.
• Twenty-seven percent of generalist physicians’ visits were same-day appointments, compared with 7 percent of specialty physicians’ visits.
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