Title VII Programs Work

A timely new article by Rittenhouse et al. in the Annals of Family Medicine finds a significant positive association between exposure to Title VII training programs and subsequent physician work in Community Health Centers (CHCs). 

These findings are particularly noteworthy as just four weeks ago, the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) released their report – Access Transformed: Building a Primary Care Workforce for the 21st Century – in which they estimate a current deficit of 1,843 primary care providers in CHCs and a need for an additional 15,585 primary care providers if they are to reach their goal of 30 million patients by 2015.

Since the 1970s, Title VII has supported programs aimed at increasing primary care, underserved areas and minority physicians.  However, funding for these programs has been severely slashed in recent years.  The program was cut in half in 2006.  This year, as in previous years, the President’s FY08 budget all but eliminates the program.  On July 18, the House approved $228 million for Title VII programs – a 24% increase from FY07, but the Senate approved only $188 million for the program on June 21 (AAMC)

As the need for primary care physicians, particularly in underserved areas, grows, it is time to invest in the programs that produce these needed physicians.  And the Rittenhouse article shows us that Title VII programs clearly work.