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Assessing primary care's contribution to academic health centers
1MGMA Health Care Consulting Group, Philadelphia, PA 19103, USA. elizabeth.woodcock.wg99@wharton.upenn.edu.
Medical Group Management Journal
|June 3, 1999
Summary
Primary care practices face operating losses, with limited research on contributing factors or the benefit of primary care. This study analyzes deficit causes and quantifies referrals to academic health centers.
Area of Science:
- Health Services Research
- Healthcare Management
- Primary Care Medicine
Background:
- Academic and private health centers operating primary care practices are experiencing operating losses.
- Hospital-owned primary care practices receive significant financial support, averaging $80,819 per FTE physician for operating costs (MGMA Cost Survey: 1998).
- There is a notable lack of research on factors contributing to the primary care deficit and quantifying its benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and analyze the factors contributing to the financial deficit in primary care practices.
- To quantify the value and impact of primary care referrals to an academic health center.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of financial data and operational costs within primary care settings.
- Examination of referral patterns from primary care to an academic health center.
- Review of existing literature on primary care economics and practice management.
Main Results:
- Identification of key factors driving operating losses in primary care.
- Quantification of the volume and potential financial impact of primary care referrals.
- Demonstration of the under-researched economic contribution of primary care.
Conclusions:
- Primary care practices face significant financial challenges that require further investigation.
- Understanding the factors contributing to deficits is crucial for practice sustainability.
- Quantifying referrals highlights the essential role of primary care in supporting academic health centers.