Medical group integration doesn't always integrate care for patients, study finds

Despite the move among many medical groups to integrate structurally, this transformation may not be felt by may patients, a study published in the May issue of Health Affairs suggests. 

Researchers analyzed the structural integration of 144 medical groups and compared those findings with a validated national survey of more than 3,000 Medicare beneficiaries who received care from those medical groups. 

The researchers could not find a consistent association between structural characteristics of the various groups and patient perception of care. However, the surveys indicated multispecialty groups may be better than primary care groups at communicating patient medical histories within the group. 

"Opportunities exist to improve patient care, but structural integration of medical groups might not be sufficient for delivering care that patients perceive as integrated," the authors wrote. 

  

More articles on integration and physician issues:

More than 200 medical schools, associations buy full-page ads in WSJ, Politico asking Congress to increase NIH funding
Viewpoint: This important group of caregivers often overlooked
Stanford pediatricians call on peers: Help curb gun injuries in children

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.

 

Featured Whitepapers

Featured Webinars