In their (mostly) excellent Aug. 30 op-ed, “Collaboration is crucial to save health care in Mass.,” Michael Curry, Manny Lopes, Amy Rosenthal, and Steve Walsh refer to hospitals, health systems, health plans, and community health centers as “health care stakeholders.” Nowhere in their more-than-600-word essay do the words “physician” or “doctor” appear. It seems the authors lump physicians inside their broader mention of “providers” or “strained workers.” This is a telling oversight from health care executives.
Policy makers should take heed: Ask almost any patient what is needed most desperately. Their answer: Appointments with doctors.
Dr. J.C. Kryder
Cambridge
The writer is a partner with Arches Medical Partners, which supports independent medical practices. He was the primary care physician representative on the Health Policy Commission from 2016 to 2022, a position that was eliminated last year.