Health Department, United Hospital Fund And Partners Release Small Primary Care Practices In NYC Report
The Health Department, United Hospital Fund (UHF) and their partners in the Population Health Improvement Program (PHIP) today released PHIP Small Practice Project, a report which focuses on the challenges small, independent primary care practices face in New York City. Forty percent of primary care providers in the city are independent practices with four or fewer health care providers, and they serve some of the city’s poorest neighborhoods. The report is intended to help these providers and their potential partners understand the economics of shared-service arrangements. It describes a business model in which small practices can share the cost of needed services – such as care managers, diabetes educators, and health information technology staff – that can enable them to better care for their patients, and reduce preventable hospital admissions. This shared-services model could enhance New York’s primary care system, which is an essential part of New York State’s health reform initiatives and vital for communities with high health disparities. Read the report here.
“Small practices are a critical part of New York City’s primary care system, providing medical services to some of the city’s most disadvantaged and diverse communities, but they are at risk in our changing health care environment,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “This report describes and quantifies a novel approach – sharing services across small independent practices – that can help them continue to serve those communities.”
“Access to high quality healthcare is important for everyone, no matter who you are or where you live,” said Health Department First Deputy Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Health care providers in small independent practices serve New Yorkers in every community in the city, and this report details...