Profession

AAFP picks doctors to test new practice care model

Family physicians hope that the national project will help them reshape the specialty.

By Damon Adams — Posted April 24, 2006

Print  |   Email  |   Respond  |   Reprints  |   Like Facebook  |   Share Twitter  |   Tweet Linkedin

Starting in June, 36 family practices will spend two years under the microscope as part of an effort to transform family medicine to a new model of care that is patient-centered and relies on electronic medical records.

The American Academy of Family Physicians this month announced the three dozen practices chosen to take part in a national demonstration project of TransforMED, an $8 million AAFP practice redesign initiative. The practices were selected from more than 300 applicants and represent a variety of practice sizes.

"This is a real-world learning lab that we want to help family physicians and hopefully other primary care [doctors] learn how to, in a cost-effective, efficient way, implement" an electronic health records system, said Terry McGeeney, MD, president and CEO of TransforMED.

Theresa Shupe, MD, is one of the physicians chosen for the project. She works in a group practice in Manassas, Va., but plans to open a solo practice in Haymarket, Va., about 40 miles from Washington, D.C.

She said the transition to a new model of care won't be easy, but she will embrace the changes to better serve patients, welcoming e-mail from patients and group visits. "I look forward to having a medical home for patients, better quality care and being able to improve the lives and the health of my patients."

The project is a result of the Future of Family Medicine report, which national family medicine organizations released in 2004. The report called for transforming the specialty to a new model whose core elements include patient-centered care, electronic health records, team approach to care, open access for patients, and a focus on quality and safety.

A financial analysis undertaken as part of the project said the estimated transition costs for the model would range from $23,442 to $90,650 per doctor, depending on productivity loss related to implementing an electronic health records system.

The demonstration project will start in June. Participants will pay for improvements such as electronic systems. The practices will be split into two groups, one group receiving support from practice redesign experts and the other getting access to practice improvement tools and services. Both groups will be evaluated and the findings will be shared on an ongoing basis, AAFP officials said. A final report is expected in 2009.

"We think it will improve the quality of care for our patients," TransforMED board Chair James C. Martin, MD, said of the new model.

Family medicine leaders say that as fewer future physicians choose their specialties, the profession must change to survive. Leaders see the TransforMED initiative as a way to start making those changes.

"The Future of Family Medicine [report] has given us a road map for that future," said AAFP President Larry S. Fields, MD. "Buckle your seatbelts, it's going to be a heck of a ride."

Back to top


External links

TransforMED National Demonstration Project (link)

Future of Family Medicine Project (link)

Back to top


ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISE HERE


Featured
Read story

Confronting bias against obese patients

Medical educators are starting to raise awareness about how weight-related stigma can impair patient-physician communication and the treatment of obesity. Read story


Read story

Goodbye

American Medical News is ceasing publication after 55 years of serving physicians by keeping them informed of their rapidly changing profession. Read story


Read story

Policing medical practice employees after work

Doctors can try to regulate staff actions outside the office, but they must watch what they try to stamp out and how they do it. Read story


Read story

Diabetes prevention: Set on a course for lifestyle change

The YMCA's evidence-based program is helping prediabetic patients eat right, get active and lose weight. Read story


Read story

Medicaid's muddled preventive care picture

The health system reform law promises no-cost coverage of a lengthy list of screenings and other prevention services, but some beneficiaries still might miss out. Read story


Read story

How to get tax breaks for your medical practice

Federal, state and local governments offer doctors incentives because practices are recognized as economic engines. But physicians must know how and where to find them. Read story


Read story

Advance pay ACOs: A down payment on Medicare's future

Accountable care organizations that pay doctors up-front bring practice improvements, but it's unclear yet if program actuaries will see a return on investment. Read story


Read story

Physician liability: Your team, your legal risk

When health care team members drop the ball, it's often doctors who end up in court. How can physicians improve such care and avoid risks? Read story

  • Stay informed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • LinkedIn