There now exists a huge vacuum in primary care in the United States. Because nature abhors vacuums, the opportunity exists for chiropractic to move in and help to alleviate the shortage of primary health care providers. Make no mistake about it, other providers will also move into this crucial role. In fact, it is already happening. Nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and physician assistants are already taking over the role of the general practice physicians and with generally good results.
Nurses expect to continue expanding their primary care role.
The ANA's Ms. Betts was recently quoted in USA Today as saying the USA's largest group of health care providers, some 2.1 million nurses, stand ready to be mobilized. But in spite of what Betts says, only 100,000 of the 2.1 million are qualified advanced practice nurses, not enough to alleviate the shortage of primary care medics. So the door is open for chiropractic, but we must move quickly and with determination. Failure to achieve primary care gatekeeper status will mean that chiropractic is likely to be considered a neuromusculoskeletal specialty and be rationed. The only way to avoid such an outcome is for chiropractic to make its case as a primary care provider now while the reform debate is heating up all over the country.