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Effect of prepaid health plans on a family practice residency

Publication ,  Journal Article
Bradley, DW; Gehlbach, SH
Published in: Academic Medicine
January 1, 1988

The rapid growth of prepaid health care plans imposes clinical, financial, and educational changes on residency programs. In the study reported here, the authors examined some perceived and actual effects of such plans on a family medicine center associated with a family medicine residency training program. In the study, 37 residents and 19 faculty members completed a 5-point, 16-item survey covering the effect of the prepaid plans used at the center on the program's practice profile, cost-containment efforts, and education activities over a three-year period. Overall, the respondents agreed with the need for cost containment that accompanied participation in the prepaid plan and agreed that prepaid plans increased the number of patient visits and visits by family members. The residents and faculty members agreed that prepaid patients were more demanding and were seen more often for minor or inappropriate problems. Regarding the educational impact of the prepaid plans, the respondents agreed that they improved their clinical decision-making, and no significant concern regarding limitation of laboratory or consultations was noted. Some of the respondents' perceptions were corroborated by findings in the clinic data base that showed increased numbers of patient visits, more visits by members of the same family, and no significant change in outpatient consultation rates. © 1988 Association of American Medical Colleges.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Academic Medicine

EISSN

1938-808X

ISSN

1040-2446

Publication Date

January 1, 1988

Volume

63

Issue

8

Start / End Page

611 / 616

Related Subject Headings

  • General & Internal Medicine
  • 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Bradley, D. W., & Gehlbach, S. H. (1988). Effect of prepaid health plans on a family practice residency. Academic Medicine, 63(8), 611–616.
Bradley, D. W., and S. H. Gehlbach. “Effect of prepaid health plans on a family practice residency.” Academic Medicine 63, no. 8 (January 1, 1988): 611–16.
Bradley DW, Gehlbach SH. Effect of prepaid health plans on a family practice residency. Academic Medicine. 1988 Jan 1;63(8):611–6.
Bradley, D. W., and S. H. Gehlbach. “Effect of prepaid health plans on a family practice residency.” Academic Medicine, vol. 63, no. 8, Jan. 1988, pp. 611–16.
Bradley DW, Gehlbach SH. Effect of prepaid health plans on a family practice residency. Academic Medicine. 1988 Jan 1;63(8):611–616.

Published In

Academic Medicine

EISSN

1938-808X

ISSN

1040-2446

Publication Date

January 1, 1988

Volume

63

Issue

8

Start / End Page

611 / 616

Related Subject Headings

  • General & Internal Medicine
  • 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
  • 1103 Clinical Sciences