When I was in medical school, somewhat later in life than most medical students, I was faced with the important decision of what type of medicine I would practice. Many of my classmates chose specialties like radiology, cardiology or thoracic surgery. I chose family medicine. Everything in life is a choice, and becoming a family physician has been the perfect choice for me.

I have been a physician in Rohnert Park for 16 years and I love what I do. My years as a family physician have provided me the opportunity to treat a variety of conditions and build strong bonds with my patients. I have watched families expand, children grow up and patients grow old. Many patients tell me that they consider me part of their family. This is not only personally fulfilling, but it also helps me to provide better care. Patients seem more comfortable sharing their medical problems with me than they would be with a physician they just met. They appreciate that I know their whole medical history -- often their whole family’s medical history -- and they trust my judgment.

There are nearly 100,000 family physicians like me across the country. We provide the type of personal, primary care that Americans want -- and have relied on for generations. But as the U.S. population grows and health care needs expand, access to family doctors can’t keep pace. More and more, we’re hearing that patients are finding themselves unable to see their family doctor when they need to. A new study from the American Academy of Family Physicians shows that by 2020, the number of family physicians in the U.S. will need to increase by 39 percent in order to meet the growing need for primary care.

Unfortunately our health care system is in crisis, and instead of working to increase the number of family physicians to meet this need, our nation’s leaders have done little. As a result, many patients’ access to primary care has been threatened. Already, one in four U.S. counties is designated a primary care shortage area. There are parts of California where you can’t find a single family doctor.

Simply put, the U.S. health care system is reaching its breaking point. Millions of people do not have health insurance and can’t afford care. Ever increasing medical malpractice claims are forcing some doctors to close or move their offices, and low payments from the government have forced some doctors have to stop accepting new Medicare patients.

Action is needed now more than ever to fix the system. For too long, America’s leaders have spent more time discussing the problems with America’s health care system working toward solutions.

America faces critical decisions on health care. We need to question our political candidates and expect them to have answers. That is why I recently led a delegation of more than 60 California family physicians and concerned citizens to Washington.

We joined thousands of family physicians representing every state, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories at the nation’s Capitol in calling on people running for office to explain how they will fix our health care system, and we are not alone. A bipartisan survey released in Washington showed that America’s health care system is as important to voters as action on Iraq and terrorism.

Reforming our health care system is a nonpartisan issue. We must join together to question political candidates and expect answers and action. By asking candidates of both political parties the hard questions about how they plan to fix the health care system and listening to their answers, voters can make informed decisions.

If Americans demand that Congress solve the health care system’s problems, candidates for office and elected officials will listen.

Bo Greaves, MD, has been practicing family medicine in Rohnert Park for 16 years. He is President of the California Academy of Family Physicians and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians. For more information on the Physician Rally at the Capitol or to download, Guide to Health Issues for Voters, a nonpartisan guide to major health issue, visit www.aafp.org.