As the model for care delivery changes shifts--think "retail clinics" for one example--a small number of primary care practices are beginning to change how they work with patients. One new model which is emerging, known as "advanced open access," sets up practices to make them as accessible and flexible as possible. Open access practices are experimenting with patient-friendly options like same-day appointments, extended hours, e-mail and EMR access and group visits. Going forward, the American Academy of Family Physicians' TransforMED project is working to track such trends and see what's working among new practice models. According to research by the AAFP, e-visits have been among the least popular options, but flexible scheduling is a big hit.
To find out more about this trend:
- read this USAToday article
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