Ok, let me run some numbers for you:
( why emergency room visits are a bad idea)
ED visit for chest pain ( without any major procedures) - about $2500. A visit to a primary care doctor - $80-100 plus EKG $20-50.
Bottom line, care in the office is much much cheaper then ED care.
Plus, many patients who don't have routine care arrive to the ED in much worse shape then if they were taken care of be a primary doctor - hence, much more expensive care again....
Those are such basics, hope anybody can understand this.
Even patients who are taken care of in residents run hospital clinics statistically show better overall health data then those without any care at all.
As they teach in any medical school: an once of prevention is worth a pound of cure.....

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Happy New Year to all! Virtual hugs!