Utilization and cost effectiveness of a family practice center.

In a prepaid group practice setting, a group of 45 Family Practice Center patients, carefully matched by age, sex, and employment, were compared with a group of 63 patients attending medical and pediatric clinics. Utilization rates for physician and nonphysician visits and costs of laboratory and x-ray services during a period of 33 months were examined. Despite a 25 percent greater prevalence of significant chronic medical problems, the family practice group used specialist care less than one half as much as did the matching group and made one extra physician visit per patient per year. Costs for laboratory and x-ray procedures did not differ significantly. Satisfaction expressed in responses to telephone interviews of both groups was found to be somewhat greater among the family practice patients. The findings of this study provide some support for greater cost effectiveness and patient satisfaction of family practice compared with alternative modes of primary care.