Health reform and the Affordable Care Act have triggered a renewed interest in strengthening access to primary care services, with a focus on ensuring that the nation has appropriately trained physicians practicing where they are needed. There are about 80 primary care physicians per 100,000 people the United States. Not surprisingly, rural areas have a much lower physician-to-population ratio than urban areas and a higher proportion of generalists.1 The number and types of physicians needed for optimal health outcomes is key to implementing the triple aim2 of improving population health, the experience of care, and costs. Understanding scopes and patterns of practice and settings where family physicians provide care provides a reference point in moving toward full access to high-quality care across the nation.
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