Joseph Rugg's Health Law Blog

Annals of Family Medicine — Sept/Oct 2012 Issue:  

Conclusions:  If portions of preventive and chronic care services are delegated to nonphysician team members, primary care practices can provide recommended preventive and chronic care with panel sizes that are achievable with the available primary care workforce.

Discussion:  Solving the primary care dilemma—excessive panel sizes in an environment of a primary care physician shortage—requires the replacement of physician-only care with team-based care. Such an unprecedented change in both the culture and structure of primary care practice can be accomplished only through a change in clinician mindset, the training of nonclinician team members, the mapping of workflows and tasks, the creation of standing orders that empower nonclinicians to share the care, the education of patients about team-based care, and the reform of primary care payment. Fortunately, all these elements are being implemented in many innovative primary care practices around the United States. These practices point to a future of high-functioning primary care teams that can ensure health care access and quality for the nation’s population with a reasonable work life for physicians and other team members.

See on www.annfammed.org

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