Population-based family practice: the next challenge of primary care.

In its first 15 years family medicine has moved the focus of clinical care from the individual to the family unit. Assuming responsibility for the care of a denominator population is an important challenge to primary care and a potential next step for family medicine. This paper presents a model of denominator-based practice and discusses its particular applicability to family practice. In addition to offering the potential for improving the health of its denominator population, this innovation in primary care may provide an important opportunity to lever family practice into a more favorable competitive position in the health care market.