Until this week I had never heard of the idea of shared patient visits. My first reaction was, "you have got to be kidding."
Within a few days, two different publications, The New York Times and Kaiser Health News, both wrote about these group visits, as we did at FiercePracticeManagement. "I know I wouldn't like that," my executive editor at Fierce commented right off the bat, when we talked about the news articles.
My sentiments, exactly. But according to the two newspaper reports, shared medical appointments work for some patients. Like Alexandria Smith a first-time mother who throughout her pregnancy met as part of a group for two-hour visits with a midwife at Eisner Pediatric and Family Medical Center in Los Angeles. Smith said she benefited from hearing what other pregnant women were going through. "I feel like I'm not the only one, and I'm not crazy. I'm just pregnant," she told Kaiser Health News.
And it works for Bill Swain, a 69-year-old Washington state resident, who told the Times he goes to shared medical appointments--quarterly sessions for eight to 15 people that usually last 90 minutes. Instead of an annual physical, he sees the doctor four times a year and feels he gets extra medical attention.
A comment from Swain's doctor, Byron Haney, M.D., a family physician, is powerful. "I've never had a prediabetic convert to diabetic in a group setting," he told the Times. And some pretty prestigious hospitals, including the Cleveland Clinic and the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, also offer group appointments.
I guess you can count me among the skeptics. I'd rather a private office visit with my doctor. As for peer accountability and support, isn't that what support groups are for?
Even advocates of shared medical appointments, say group visits are not right for everyone. I agree with that. So what about physicians? Do you have experience with group appointments? How have they worked? If you are tired of rushed, 15-minute patient appointments, is it something you would consider? Let me know in the comment section below.-- Joanne (@PracticeMgt)