Group Medical Visits

. 100% of participants accomplished at least one personal health goal.

. Clinic efficiency was increased, allowing the clinic to see an average of 7 patients in 3 hours.

. All patients would recommend the group medical visit to others.

A literary review and discussion of Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic’s group medical visit pilot

Growing pressure on physicians to increase productivity in the face of an influx of new patients has spurred innovative work around the country. Many healthcare professionals point to the group medical visit as the most promising work to help the shortage problem and need for quality care. In fact, Dr. Zeev Neuwirth of the Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates says “quite honestly, I don’t know of any other innovation—there is no policy fix, there is no insurance fix—that is going to be able to fix this problem…the best I’ve seen is the shared medical appointment” {1}.

Picking up on the growing challenge to increase efficiency and quality of care, the Jeanie Schmidt Free Clinic in Herndon, Virginia, has begun offering group medical visits. Diabetic and hypertensive patients were recruited to participate in a group medical visit pilot, and health outcomes were closely monitored to assess the efficacy of this method. The pilot was an overwhelming success, with patients recording a statistically significant increase in physical activity and the accomplishment of one personal goal. A literary review of exemplary group visit pilots precedes a full discussion of the Jeanie Schmidt pilot. For full report: Click HERE.

(1) “Group Medical Visits Seek to Relieve Physician Burden, Improve Care”. Brande Victorian. Nephrology Times, January 2009. 2 (1).