Rural Health Systems - Rural Physicians Office

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Recognize special issues to a rural practice.

    • Example: A different ratio of patients, usually higher percentage of elderly and rural poor.

    • Example: Equipping office for rural practice is slightly different than an urban practice.

    • Example: Managed Care in Rural America is in its infancy.
    • Example: Rural Health Clinics are ways to help to increase reimbursement.

  2. Recognize that the Rural Health System is a dynamic process and issues and approaches will continue to evolve. Be able to locate sources of information and coping strategies.

TEACHING STRATEGIES

Visit an independent practitioner's office. Contrast to multispecialty group in an urban area or a multispecialty group rural satellite. Understand both advantages and disadvantages and coping mechanisms.

QUINCY FAMILY PRACTICE CENTER PERSPECTIVES

There is nothing more damaging to a community than to open its arms to a provider and then lose the provider. The physician and their family are also traumatized. the more the physician knows and the more realistic their expectations are, the greater the chances of success. the quincy Family Practice program opened the East Adams County Clinic in 1991 with a projected volume of 5,000 patient visits the first year. There were actually only 1,800 visits. What happened? Earlier, the people of the area had transferred their records from Quincy to a local physician who then left. They had a very hard time reestablishing care in Quincy. The patients wanted to be certain that EAC would remain in the area before transferring. This past year, the EAC had about 8,200 visits. Most of the patients in the first year were Medicare age and had problems with making the 45 minute trip to Quincy. The program took a financial loss in the first year due to the decreased number of visits and decreased reimbursement. Without the support of the hospital, a private practitioner would have left bankrupt and broken.

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Comments: rfd@adams.net