Abstract
Health care providers in the out-patient setting face constant pressure to increase productivity and meet the demands of an increasing number of patients with chronic diseases. As a result, relationships between patients and their providers have become strained.1 Group medical visits may offer a solution to these problems. The benefits of group visits include, but are not limited to, reduced health care expenses, improved patient and provider satisfaction, higher immunization rates, fewer repeat hospital admissions, fewer visits to the emergency department and specialists, increased physician productivity and practice cost per visit, and increased patient compliance. In addition, group visits provide a break from traditional office visits, where the same medical advice is often repeated.2 The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) Family Medicine Center is an outpatient clinic that primarily focuses on the management of patients with chronic medical problems. Each health care provider sees 20–25 patients each day, potentially limiting the time and attention he or she can spend with individual patients. In order to provide efficient and high-quality health care to patients, group medical visits have been implemented as a new concept into this practice site. Initiated by the vice chair of the department of family medicine at OUHSC, these group visits focus on the management and education of patients with diabetes. These group visits are interdisciplinary in nature, involving physicians, nurses, social workers, clinical pharmacists, physician associates, and administrative staff.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have