Word: plan
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Another important aspect of the plan is its firm emphasis on group practice. Ten years ago, a subcommittee of the AMA denounced the trend towards creeping groupism as a danger as great as "socialized medicine." But the group mode has won reputability since then; and more important, it has shown in practice that it is far more efficient than single-doctor treatment...
Medical statisticians have run studies comparing group practice plans with normal family doctor care. What they've found is that patients who use institutionalized groups practice facilities -- like California's private Kaiser Plan clinics--spend much less money on health care than do patients of single physicians. The saving may come because each doctor can see more patients; or it may be because the cluster of specialists make preventive medicine more effective. But clear. Each medical care dollar goes farther when spent in group-practice clinics...
...FINAL part of the Health Plan's drive on medical costs come with its elaborate plans for "outpatient" services. Since hospital care costs -- the "impatient" expenses of medical jargon -- are easily the most expensive component of medical care one good way to trim costs is to keep people out of the hospital. Coupled with the health plan's drive for prevention will be its attempt to treat its patients in the center, instead of sending them off to the modern--and costly -- hospital...
Pollack doesn't contend that outpatient care can be a complete substitute for hospitalization. The health plan won't try to perform surgery in back rooms of its health center. But Pollack claims that about one third of the patients in a hospital on any given day do not medically need to be there. They no longer need the 24-hours care the hospital provides; and if adequate outpatient clinics were available, the patients could recover at home, making occasional visits to the clinics...
...areas have decent outpatient facilities, and so marginal patients fill the hospital beds. By providing a center with intensive outpatient and ambulatory care facilities, the health plan hopes to clear the hospitals of the people who should not be there...