Lynchburg, VA - It will be more difficult for you to find a primary care doctor in a few years. That's according to a recent survey by the Physicians' Foundation. Three of four doctors agreed there was a current shortage of general practitioners and many say the shortage could grow even more critical.

So, should people be worried? This is a problem that affects everyone, not just those without insurance. Primary care doctors are leaving the field, and no one wants to replace them. Dr. Charles Driscoll chose the primary care field more than 20 years ago. Since then fewer med-school graduates are following in his footsteps.

Charles Driscoll, M.D., Lynchburg FM Residency - "We've had a decade-long decline of physicians that are choosing primary care."

This triangle is how the system should look. A broad base of primary doctors with sub-specialty physicians at the top. This is how our system looks now, a small section of primary doctors. And it's only getting smaller. Part of the problem happened 10 years ago.

Driscoll - "Medical schools were encouraged to cut back admissions and hold the line, cap admissions."

Plus, sub-specialty positions often pay more and demand less time. Driscoll says primary care doctors are overloaded with patients and paperwork.

Driscoll - "So the toll on families and time is putting pressure on them, they're pushing back a little bit."

Here's proof -- of the 12,000 doctors who responded to a survey by the Physicians’ Foundation, about half said they planned to reduce patient loads or stop practicing within the next three years.

Rick Johnson - "With the baby boomers out there, there are going to be a lot of patients needing doctors."

Kim Word - "Longer times in the waiting room."

Man - "I think generally it would decrease the quality of care, there wouldn't be as much competition between doctors."

If you're worried, Driscoll says there is something you can do -- speak out.

Driscoll - "Our congressman and senators aren't going to make any changes unless they hear from us."

Here's another daunting statistic, the US ranks dead last among developed nations for preventative medicine, a problem that could get even more critical if the doctor shortage continues.