For Better Population Health, Invest in Primary Care Providers

 A higher number of primary care providers (PCPs) in a given region is associated with significant gains in life expectancy for resident populations, according to a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Adding just 10 PCPs per 100,000 individuals was associated with a 51.5-day increase in life expectancy across the population, with significant reductions in mortality related to common chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory conditions.

With an extra 10 PCPs per 100,000, deaths from cardiovascular disease decreased by 30.4 deaths per million; cancer mortality dropped by 23.6 deaths per million; and respiratory mortality by 8.8 deaths per million.