Salahuddin Kazi, MD, associate professor of medicine in the division of rheumatic diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, says the ACA is also increasing the emphasis on coordination among providers. Beyond the concept of a patient-centered medical home, where the primary-care physician is empowered to create a team, providers are also embracing the concept of a patient-centered medical neighborhood, which includes much more coordination with specialists.
Ultimately, Dr. Kazi says, optimizing workflow, reducing waste, aAnd standardizing care will help rheumatologists handle the additional patients. “We’re going to have to lean on our support personnel much more,” he says. “We really need to leverage all of the other workers within the practice to work at the top of their license and to contribute more.”
