What is a micropractice, and why did I choose this model?
Written by Dr. Jan Ooi, Family Physician and Low Risk Obstetrics Provider (2 min read)
Early on in the pandemic, I watched a webinar about virtual care presented by a physician in Edmonton. At the time, caring for patients over the phone or on a video call was new territory for many of us, but this physician had been doing this for almost five years already. In her presentation, she explained that her clinic is run under a micropractice model that maximizes efficiency and minimizes overhead costs.
I was intrigued to hear that she had no staff who interacted with her patients - it was just her. After years of working in a traditional medical clinic model it was hard for me to imagine not working with staff in my office. However, when I flipped my perspective to that of a patient, I realized that I was happy to book appointments online and fill out forms before my appointments to save time (and paper!).
She went on to describe how her clinic is laid out to maximize the use of a smaller footprint space. For instance, there is no reception area in the waiting room, and the physicians only use one exam room, rather than two or three.
A medical clinic runs like many other small businesses, with physicians paying overhead out of their billing income toward operations. With minimal staff and lower rent, micropractice physicians pay lower overhead than they would in traditional care models. In turn, micropractice physicians can book longer appointment times, and leave more space in their schedule for urgent and unpredictable concerns.
Beyond improving efficiency and patient access to care, another aspect of the micropractice model that appeals to me is continuity of care. Every interaction a patient has with the clinic, be it on the phone, via email, or in person at the clinic, is with me. Continuity of care has been shown to improve health outcomes,and both the patient and the physician benefit from building their relationship over time.
As plans started to take shape for Ensemble Healthcare I realized that most of my allied health colleagues who were joining the practice were already successfully practicing under a micropractice model. I was the rookie, and I have benefitted from the experience of my colleagues as I developed my micropractice.
Calgary has a well-established model of Family Medicine Low Risk Obstetrics care, with groups of physicians providing prenatal and postpartum care to patients in the community, and delivering their babies at one of our four urban hospitals. I am excited to combine the benefits of a micropractice model of care in my clinic, with the care my group provides on call at the hospital.
