The University of Wisconsin Clinical Practice Plan

The evolution and structure of the University of Wisconsin Clinical Practice Plan (CPP) is described, along with political and economic factors that have influenced its development. Comparison of clinical faculty numbers, average clinical earnings, average clinical base salaries, and average research funding per clinical faculty member in 1958, 1968, and 1978 (all in 1978 dollars) reveals a trend of rapid initial growth followed by a marked slowing of growth. This suggests that the CPP is reaching a stage of continued slow growth. Further analysis of the data also suggests the effect on the CPP of changes in federal and state government funding of medical research, medical education, and health care for indigents. The effects of these fluctuations in federal and state government funding of these three areas on CPP income and expenses have made long-range planning and budgeting for the CPP difficult.