Gains in Capability, Losses in Access to Primary Care After COVID-19

AJMC February 7, 2025
Julia Bonavitacola

Key Takeaways

• Post-pandemic, primary care access declined, with reduced weekend hours and advanced scheduling, while practice capabilities improved, especially for complex patient needs.
• Ownership shifted from independent and physician groups to hospitals and health systems, with ACO participation slightly increasing.
• Practices in ACOs reported higher capability scores and extended-hours access compared to nonparticipants, despite overall accessibility decline.
• Limitations include potential bias, lower response rates post-pandemic, and lack of generalizability to smaller practices or causal link determination.

Better access and capability scores were associated with integrated practice ownership and participation in accountable care organizations.

Researchers have found that access to care declined, while average practice capabilities improved following the COVID-19 pandemic. A new study published today in JAMA Health...

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