We need more doctors like Benjamin Brewer.

The WSJ’s columnist-family physician writes about the pride he takes in practicing medicine (via the WSJ Health Blog). Despite the fact that almost half of doctors want to quit primary care, “you can’t put a dollar amount on the gratitude of patients and the satisfaction that brings.”

Indeed, there are doctors who “drive Honda Civics and regularly work 16-hour days,” and “often take care of the patients no one else wants, including the teenage moms on Medicaid and the Medicare patients with five chronic diseases and even more complaints.”

As noble as Dr. Brewer is, I fear that these physicians are becoming scarcer by the day, as many are leaving for greener cash-only pastures. How long will it be before the deteriorating practice environment overwhelms the satisfaction of treating patients?

topics: brewer, primary care