Constraints to caring: service to medically indigent patients by allopathic and osteopathic physicians.

Most U.S. physicians limit their care of medically indigent populations, rendering millions of patients underserved.

Who serves the underserved? Predictors of physician care to medically indigent patients.

Using a national sample of 466 doctors, this work is the first to determine how sociodemographic characteristics, family lives, educational experiences and work environments combine over the life course to shape physician attitudes and behaviors toward serving the medically indigent. Survey data reveal that most physicians have positive experiences with indigent patients, and feel responsible for providing care for the needy. On average, one-quarter of doctors' patients are medically indigent, and physicians provide six hours of charity care per week.