Patient retention issues in Medicare risk-contracting HMOs.

Positive patient-physician interaction is essential to a successful practice. Positive patient-practice experiences may also result in decreased medical liability costs. However, most medical practices are not organized according to this mind-set. As managed care physicians in either closely linked medical groups or loose affiliations consider signing Medicare risk contracts, the importance of a "patient-focused" orientation is critical for success. Measured patient retention is the positive outcome of such efforts.