What's the Problem: Over the past several years, there has been much debate over the Affordable Care Act and its effects on the healthcare industry. health in the United States. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will “ensure that all Americans have access to affordable, quality health care and create the transformation within the health care system needed to contain costs” (detailed summary of the Affordable Care Act patients and affordable care, na). However, the nature of these transformations and how they will affect the healthcare system, particularly primary care physicians, is uncertain. Primary care physicians are the lifeblood of patients in the healthcare system. They provide liaison between families and specialist doctors. Primary care physicians provide a variety of patient care services that utilize multiple skills. They are responsible for diagnosing the patient and managing the care plan. Due to the new Affordable Care Act and the current shortage of primary care physicians, “the primary care physician is a rapidly evolving species – and may in the future become an endangered species” (Okie , 2012). Before the ACA was implemented, there was already a shortage of primary care physicians. It is important to note that most Americans use or go to a primary care physician. “An analysis of projected supply and demand for physicians, conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration in 2008, predicted a total shortage across the entire workforce. The projected deficit in subspecialties other than primary care is particularly evident, with a shortage of 35,000 surgeons and 27,000 physician specialists by 2020” (AAMC, 2014). According to the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2010), 55.5% of people are...... middle of paper ......w-to-beat-doctor-shortage.htmlNational Ambulatory Medical Care Survey outpatient medical care: 2010 Summary tables. (2010). At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved February 9, 2014, from ttp://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ahcd/namcs_summary/2010_namcs_web_tables.pdf Okie, S. (May 17, 2012). The evolving primary care physician. In the New England Journal of Medicine. Retrieved February 10, 2014, from http://search.proquest.com.ezaccess.libraries.psu.edu/docview/1014419556/fulltextPDF?accountid=13158The Changing Physician Environment. (2003, June). In Trend Watch. Retrieved February 10, 2014, from http://www.aha.org/research/reports/tw/tw2003vol5no1.pdfDetailed summary of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (nd). At the Center for Democratic Politics and Communication. Accessed February 9, 2014, from http://www.dpc.senate.gov/healthreformbill/healthbill04.pdf