PCP credits dedicated primary care community for formation of Harvard's new Center

- New Harvard Medical School Center sends strong message of primary care's importance to healthcare system

- Primary Care Progress calls community engagement critical to the establishment of Harvard's center

- Students and trainees hungry for leadership roles in revitalization of primary care

Harvard Medical School's (HMS) establishment of its $30 million Center for Primary Care is a powerful statement of the importance of primary care and the role major medical institutions must play in its transformation, according to Boston-based nonprofit Primary Care Progress (PCP).  PCP credits a dedicated and engaged primary care community, partnering with a visionary dean, for the formation of Harvard's new Center.  

With the recent national expansion of healthcare coverage, the Association of American Medical Colleges predicts a shortage of 45,000 primary care doctors over the next decade.

"At a time when America faces a daunting primary care workforce shortage, it's encouraging to see the impact a motivated medical community can have on revitalizing primary care education," said Dr. Andrew Morris-Singer, an internist at Boston's Brigham & Women's Hospital and founder of Primary Care Progress.  "Students and trainees are already helping to transform primary care and this center aims to prepare them to be the leaders that this country needs."

Over the last year, PCP organized several town hall-style meetings at Harvard focused on promoting the value of primary care and harnessing community input regarding new programming. The dean of HMS, Jeffrey Flier, asked members of the community to help put forth recommendations to the school on how to reinvigorate its primary care focus.

"Primary Care Progress played an important role in mobilizing Harvard's primary care community to participate in this important dialogue," said Jeffrey Flier.  "Harvard Medical School looks forward to working with groups like Primary Care Progress to engage the next generation in the work of improving our healthcare system."

Primary Care Progress is a growing network of primary care providers, trainees, and students working in local communities to promote primary care and engage members in efforts to transform care delivery and education. PCP offers resources, inspirational stories, and opportunities for members to connect and collaborate at www.primarycareprogress.org.

Longtime primary care advocate and co-director of the Center for Excellence in Primary Care at the University of California-San Francisco, Thomas Bodenheimer, applauds these developments. "This new center and the community movement fundamental to its establishment give me great hope for the future of American medicine."