Primary care practice management (Prac-Man): Mapping approaches and best practices
Funded by:
Summary
Despite ongoing reform efforts, primary care in Canada faces many challenges. Many primary care providers are opting not to start new practices, are leaving existing practices, or are reporting low job satisfaction because of responsibilities relating to managing the business side of practice. While the impacts of primary care reforms to practice and payment models have been studied, the role of practice management receives relatively little attention from policymakers and researchers.
The goal of this mixed methods study is to contribute to the improvement of primary care practice management by mapping approaches to primary care practice management in three Canadian provinces (British Columbia, Ontario, Nova Scotia) and identifying best practices.
Research Questions
RQ1: What resources are available to support primary care practice management and how do these vary by practice and payment model?
RQ2: What are the current approaches to primary care practice management and how do these vary by practice and payment model?
RQ3: What are the experiences of individuals managing primary care practice?
a) What do they perceive are the best practices for and barriers to primary care practice management?
b) How do these vary by practice model?
RQ4: How is practice management implemented in team-based primary care practices?
Impacts
%20copy.jpeg)
Study outcomes will include an inventory of resources that support primary care practice management; identified best practices for managing a primary care practice; and recommendations for policymakers. These outcomes will fill a critical gap in the literature and will help to strengthen primary care practice management.