Portland Lags in Primary Care Access Compared to Other Major Cities

Secret shopper study finds just 35% of Portland clinics accept new Medicare patients, far below other cities

Mar. 11, 2026 at 5:44am

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A new study led by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University found that Portland lags significantly behind other major U.S. cities in access to primary care, with only 35% of clinics accepting new Medicare patients compared to nearly 97% in Los Angeles. The study, which used "secret shoppers" to call 444 clinics across four cities, also found the median wait time for a new patient appointment in Portland was 61 days, far longer than the 8-day wait in New York.

Why it matters

Access to primary care is critical for managing chronic conditions, preventative health, and avoiding costly emergency department visits. The study suggests that Portland's highly concentrated healthcare market, with nearly 60% of clinics affiliated with large health systems, may contribute to the bottleneck in access compared to more competitive markets.

The details

Researchers called 444 clinics across New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, posing as new Medicare patients seeking an initial primary care appointment. Overall, 77.5% of clinics accepted new Medicare patients, but the rates varied dramatically by city - from 97% in Los Angeles to just 35% in Portland. Among clinics that did accept new patients, the median wait time ranged from 8 days in New York to 61 days in Portland.

  • The study was published on March 11, 2026 in the journal Health Affairs Scholar.

The players

Jane Zhu, M.D.

Associate professor of medicine (general internal medicine and geriatrics) in the OHSU School of Medicine and senior author of the study.

Tamara Beetham, Ph.D.

Co-author from Brown University.

Michael L. Barnett, M.D., M.P.H.

Co-author from Brown University.

Trisha Marsh, M.P.H.

Co-author from OHSU.

Ruby M. Aaron, M.P.H.

Co-author from OHSU.

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What they’re saying

“Primary care is the front door to the health care system, connecting patients to chronic disease management, preventative health and long-term coordinated care to avoid costly hospitalizations and emergency room visits.”

— Jane Zhu, M.D., Associate professor of medicine (general internal medicine and geriatrics), OHSU School of Medicine (Health Affairs Scholar)

What’s next

Researchers suggest the highly concentrated healthcare market in Portland, with nearly 60% of clinics affiliated with large health systems, may contribute to the access challenges. Further study is needed to understand how market dynamics and system-level factors impact primary care availability in different cities.

The takeaway

This study highlights the significant disparities in primary care access across major U.S. cities, with Portland lagging far behind others like Los Angeles. Improving access to timely, quality primary care is crucial for managing chronic conditions, preventative health, and reducing costly emergency department utilization.