It is good that more doctors are choosing to practice primary care: “Primary medical care getting renewed interest in region as mandatory insurance increases demand” (March 2).

Soon, however, it will be rare in Connecticut to see primary care doctors in private practice. The extraordinary amount of paperwork and other tasks forced on these doctors mostly by insurers has made it almost impossible for them to survive. The electronic medical records systems that doctors are pressured to use are expensive and present a mental as well as a financial challenge.

Insurers have hundreds of different codes for different diseases and knowing which codes to use can be tricky. The hospitals have become the lifeline for many small practices because they can provide the staff and the electronic record systems that are needed to survive today.

Joining a hospital network is not bad but many patients still prefer the familiarity and the comfort of getting their care in small primary care offices.

It is important that our lawmakers work with the leadership of the Connecticut State Medical Society to assist the small primary care offices and assure their survival.

Dr. Edward Volpintesta

Bethel