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Part of Health Care Crisis is Lack of Access to Doctors

St. Louis Public Radio
Published November 4, 2003 at 2:45 PM CST
Dr. Dwayne Helton (left) visits a patient at his Jefferson County office.
Dr. Dwayne Helton (left) visits a patient at his Jefferson County office.

By Kevin Lavery, KWMU

St. Louis, MO –

Missouri and Illinois are in the midst of a subtle but growing national health care crisis. A severe shortage of primary care physicians is contributing to an overall poor state of health for thousands of people.

The problem is rooted in a lack of access to doctors, the cost of practicing medicine and negative perceptions of primary care among students preparing to enter the medical profession.

KWMU's Kevin Lavery prepared this report.

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