On a recent late summer evening, Allie Surdovel walked the 3.3 mile loop of Blackstone Boulevard in Providence. It is important for her to invest her time in preventative health because like many Providence residents she does not have a primary care doctor.
“I haven’t been able to find a primary care doctor for about seven years,” said the 35-year-old design director.
Surdovel estimated that since 2018 she’s called upwards of 50 health care professionals and had only ever made it as far as a waitlist. She relies on CVS Minute Clinics or urgent care centers for her basic health care needs.
The closure of Anchor Medical Associates earlier this year left an estimated 25,000 patients scrambling for care, adding to what was already an under-resourced sector of healthcare.
“Primary care requires a large team of nurses, care managers, pharmacists, social workers and medical care, which many offices can’t afford,” said Dr. Edward McGookin, chief of primary care at Brown Health Medical Group Primary Care in Warwick. “Current payment rates don’t adequately cover these expenses, making primary care financially unsustainable for many practices.”
Dr. McGookin said that the state has invested in efforts to strengthen primary care by funding recruitment and retention initiatives which are meant to improve patient access and increase the number of Medicaid patients who can be seen in primary care settings. His practice is working with training programs in the state to increase the hiring pipeline for nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
Rhode Island Department of Health provides a comprehensive list of licensed primary care doctors in Rhode Island–along with a disclaimer that inclusion on the list “does NOT imply that providers are currently accepting new patients.” When filtered for general preventative medicine, the list contained two providers in the entire state–one in Providence and one in Cranston.
For patients struggling with primary care, Dr. McGooken provided three essential tips:
- Patients should feel comfortable choosing nurse practitioners and physician assistants—known as advanced practice providers—as their primary care provider. They are highly trained, skilled, and an essential part of the primary care workforce.
- Consider being flexible about location. While many practices in the Providence metro area are at capacity, there is often more availability in suburban areas for those willing and able to travel.
- Don’t be discouraged by a waiting list. Many practices use them as they prepare for new physicians and advanced practice providers to join. In most cases, practices will work with patients on their waiting list if urgent needs arise or adjust accordingly as patients’ circumstances change.
Back in Blackstone, Liz Connell, 29, unknowingly followed Dr. McGookin’s advice when her primary care provider retired.
”A lot of calls, a lot of sifting through the internet to see who was at least accepting patients, let alone any good,” she said, while walking her dog Ruby around the neighborhood.
Connell, who works with small business development in the nonprofit sector, eventually found one she’s happy with. The only downside is that it’s in Wakefield, 33 miles south of the city. “Not to sound like a Rhode Islander–but it is a drive to Wakefield.”
This story was created in partnership with Journalism New England. The writers are all Providence Eye Community News Fellows and their bios are listed here.
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