TEAM Primary Care Model Implementation Guide

This guide presents the TEAM Primary Care model, which aims to enhance physician-patient interactions by utilizing medical assistants more effectively. The study outlines the implementation of this model in two clinics within the Watertown Regional Medical Center, resulting in a significant reduction in patient wait times and increased physician and staff time with patients. Specifically, patient wait times decreased by 77 percent, and time spent with patients increased by 8 percent. The guide details three key strategies for successful implementation: expanding medical assistant responsibilities, adopting a co-visit format, and enhancing communication between team members. The new staffing ratio of three medical assistants for two physicians was identified as optimal for improving workflow. Additionally, the guide emphasizes the importance of visual and electronic cues in coordinating patient care, ultimately fostering a more collaborative environment that benefits both patients and healthcare professionals. The findings were published in The Journal of Family Practice.