Family physician Peter Anderson has found an excellent way to improve care, increase revenue, and boost patient volume, without burning out the physician or sacrificing quality. After reading “An effective way to use assistants ” [Aug. 3,2007 "Medical Economics"], my wife and I visited the doctor’s office. We were very impressed by the quality and efficiency of his practice, and his patients and staff love the system.

Our own practice is one of 36 demonstration practices nationwide in the American Academy of Family Physicians’ TransforMed study. We think his team approach to practice represents a necessary and desired improvement to the way medicine is practiced. It allows the doctor to concentrate on decision-making rather than on data gathering.

Our practice is already adopting Dr. Anderson’s methodology. We hope to take this one step further when our EHR software, eClinicalWorks, completes integration of Instant Medical History into its Patient Portal
software. Patients would complete their histories at home, nurses would clarify any vagueness, and doctors would move quickly to the exam and decision-making.

The future of medicine depends on visionary doctors, such as Dr. Anderson, who put in the hard work of testing and refining good ideas.

Bill Harrington, MD
Sandy Harrington, RN
Midlothian, VA

Peter,
Wes and I have presented the information (of family team care) again to the medical center (University of Virginia) administration (at their request) and there again seems to be much interest. Wes is planning on discussing this with the compliance people to see if we have their OK or if we need to press a little more on that front.

Our department is working on a grant from the medical center that would help us role this out in a controlled fashion in all of our practices, but I am not waiting for that. I am also trying an end around approach to get approval for me in my office. In the mean time, Karen and I continue to work together as often as we can. It is amazing how much help one person can be, I am really looking forward to the opportunity to go full bore.

Dan

Daniel F. McCarter, MD
Vice-Chair for Clinical Affairs
Associate Professor of Clinical Family Medicine
University of Virginia Department of Family Medicine
Stoney Creek Family Practice
PO 458
Nellysford, VA 22958

Our office has  incrementally transitioned from the traditional care model to the Family Team Care model over the past 6 months after shadowing Dr. Anderson in his office and studying his instructional DVD’s and manuel.  We are currently continuing to train our nurses and anticipate getting them fully up to speed as team care assistants by the end of the year. We are excited about Family Team Care and look forward to fully implementing this model in our office.

Wallin Litwa, DO
South Troy Health Center
Troy, NY