Report: PCMHs have higher operating costs but yield more revenue
Patient-centered medical homes reported higher operating costs per patient but also higher total medical revenue per patient than other practices, according to a report from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
The report--Cost Survey for Primary Care Practices: 2013 Report Based on 2012 Data--included PCMH costs and revenues for the first time this year.
Increased operating costs per patient in PCMHs are partly due to a greater number of providers and staff required to optimize the care-delivery model, according to the organization. PCMHs reported a median of 29 total full-time-equivalent (FTE) support staff per 10,000 patients, compared with 18.5 total support staff FTEs per 10,000 patients for those not in PCMHs. In addition, PCMHs reported more FTE providers per 10,000 patients.
“It’s possible to be truly patient-centered in any model of delivering care,” said Susan L. Turney, MD, MS, MGMA-ACMPE president and CEO. “Regardless of model, it requires a proper structure and foundation--the right providers and staff--to truly provide quality and cost-effective care to patients. It’s encouraging that physician practices are working to care and support their patients in new and innovative ways, even if it means a greater investment up front. Especially in an environment of such fiscal uncertainty, it’s evident that doing what’s best and investing in patients remains the top priority.”
The MGMA report includes data on 969 groups, data broken out by panel size, procedure and revenue collections on CPT codes, and the most reported E&M codes.
The report is available for purchase.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.