Effects of adding a Medex on practice costs and productivity

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Medical Economics
• Rural Health

Background:

• Rural healthcare practices face unique challenges in patient volume and financial stability.
• The role of advanced practice providers, such as physician assistants (Medex), is evolving in primary care settings.
• Assessing the financial impact of employing additional healthcare professionals is crucial for practice sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of employing a Medex on patient volume in rural practices.
• To determine the financial effects of Medex employment on practice revenue and physician net profit.

Main Methods:

• Archival data from ten rural practices employing a Medex were compared to ten matched control practices.
• Patient volume and financial data (revenue, net profit) were analyzed before and after Medex employment.
• Statistical comparison was performed between the Medex-employing group and the control group.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were observed in the changes in patient volume between practices with and without a Medex.
• Practices employing a Medex demonstrated a statistically significant increase in revenue compared to controls.
• Physicians in practices with a Medex experienced a greater average increase in net profit ($11,000, 22%) than control physicians ($9,000, 21%).

Conclusions:

• Employing a Medex in rural practices does not negatively impact patient volume.
• Hiring a Medex can lead to improved financial performance, including increased revenue and physician net profit.
• Medex integration represents a potentially valuable strategy for enhancing the financial viability of rural healthcare settings.