Journal of Healthcare Management - May/June 2016 - (Page 181)

Medical Assistants as Flow Managers in Primary Care: Challenges and Recommendations Caroline P. Gray, PhD, research sociologist, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, Mountain View, California; Michael I. Harrison, PhD, senior social scientist, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, Maryland; and Dorothy Hung, PhD, assistant scientist, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y As healthcare organizations look for ways to reduce costs and improve quality, many rely increasingly on allied healthcare professionals and, in particular, medical assistants (MAs) to supplement the work of physicians and other health professionals. MAs usually work in primary care, where they often play important roles on healthcare teams. Drawing on an empirical study of a large, multispecialty delivery system engaged in reconfiguration of primary care, we found that using MAs as flow managers required overcoming several challenges. These included entrenched social and occupational hierarchies between physicians and MAs, a lack of adequate training and mentorship, and difficulty attracting and retaining talented MAs. We offer several recommendations for healthcare organizations interested in using MAs as flow managers in their practices. For more information about the concepts discussed in this article, contact Dr. Gray at grayc@pamfri.org. 181

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Journal of Healthcare Management - May/June 2016

VMSD - May 2016
Interview With Linda J. Knodel, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer at Mercy
Five Ideas for the Development of Successful Physician Leaders
Evolving Physician Reimbursement Structures: Moving the Medical Group to Value-Based Success
Medical Assistants as Flow Managers in Primary Care: Challenges and Recommendations
Transformational Leadership and Change: How Leaders Influence Their Followers’ Motivation Through Organizational Justice
Succession Planning and Financial Performance: Does Competition Matter?
Transitions of Care in an Era of Healthcare Transformation

Journal of Healthcare Management - May/June 2016