Primary Care Center Opens In Carmel - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

CARMEL, Cali. - There's a serious shortage of primary care doctors not only throughout the US, but in our area as well.   Today the Community Hospital Foundation opened a center in Carmel, plus they are in the process of building another one in Marina, which should be complete by late 2010 or early 2011. 

The lack of centers has particularly affected residents over 65 and on Medicare because it's hard for those to find a physician who accepts the low government reimbursement rates.  According to Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula Assistant Director, Brenda Moore, these new centers will be accepting those on Medicare.  Moore says the board recognized the number of people having trouble finding a doctor; they worked to get centers open in the area.

"It's been kind of constant since then. People have been calling, they've seen signs, and so we know there's a need.  And the number of primary care doctors on the Peninsula who also have privileges at Community Hospital, we know that declined from about 50 to about the mid-30s in the last three years," says Moore.