Happier Doctors And Healthier Patients (NAPSA)—Like the corner caf, the idealized picture of a solo doctor making house calls began evolving long ago. You canstill find them, but since the start of the first group practices at the Mayo Clinic in the late 1800s, the medical group model has shaped the delivery, quality and future of health care in America. Medical groups today are generally formed around a particular specialty, but they are also attractive to doctors who want to share the significant cost of facilities, equipment andstaff. Then Group practices can mean happier doctors, healthier patients and lower medical care costs. open-heart surgery andthefirst to use electromagnetic imaging. As practices grew, they needed While some dectors prefer their administrators to keep things independence, the group model The first medical group was formed in 1870 in South Dakota. organized. One of the first prac- zppeals Lo most medical students Clinic in 1908. the nonprofit association whose 22,000 members manage organizations in which 275,000 doctors practice, 43 percent of medical residents prefer a group practice. Only 4 percent hope to go into solo practice. To Come The future of medical groups maybelinkedto theevolving relationship between physicians and hospitals. In the 1970s, most physiciansonly cameto the hospital to perform surgeries. Today, manypractice in groups that are owned by hospitals. Their offices are on hospital campuses and their successis directly tied to the hospital's success. In many ways, they are mutually dependent. So what does this evolution of medical group practices mean for patients? According to MGMA,it meansbetter, more coordinated, more affordable health care. It means happier doctors and, most importantly, healthier patients. And in the end,that’s the only outcomethat matters. tice managers was Harry Har- today. According to Medical Group wick, who was hired by the Mayo ManagementAssociation (MGMA), As medical students began spe- cializing and medical science accelerated the pace of new systems and technology, it became increasingly difficult for solo physicians to provide everything their patients needed. Organizing multispecialty groups that also offered diagnostic services and lab testing seemed like a better way to provide communities with com- prehensive care. The numberof group practices grew from 300 in 1932 to more than 37,000 in 2003. Now Group practices allow doctors to exchange advice andreferrals, and to make health care delivery merecost effective by sharing administrative resources and expenses. Patients benefit by receiving comprehensive, coordinated, quality care. Group practice is also good for innovation. Doctors in group prac- tices were the first to link tobacco use and lung cancer, thefirst to use a heart-lung machine during
