Evaluation of the Practice Support Program

The General Practice Services Committee (GPSC) implemented the Practice Support Program (PSP) in May 2007 to support general practitioners in clinical redesign, practice management redesign, and optimizing clinical information systems. An important component of the PSP is participation in accredited learning modules.

As part of a recent evaluation of the PSP, 215 physicians and 161 MOAs who completed learning modules also completed surveys regarding the presentation and perceived benefits of the modules. Twenty-one physicians who had not completed learning modules completed surveys regarding the reasons for not completing.

The findings indicated that both the physicians and the MOAs who completed learning modules were generally satisfied and felt the modules had a positive impact.

Of the physicians who completed the Advanced Access module, 50% indicated that wait times for urgent appointments had decreased (by an average of 2.1 days) and 73% indi­cated that wait times for regular and third-next-available appointments had decreased (by an average of 4.6 and 4.1 days, respectively). In addition, 64% of physicians had reduced their backlog and 62% were able to start and end their day on time.

Of the physicians who completed the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) module, 89% indicated that attending the module had enabled them to take better care of their pa­tients with chronic diseases, 83% were able to identify which of their patients require CDM, 87% felt they actively considered CDM guidelines in providing care, and 65% were more satisfied with their work.

Of the physicians who completed the Patient Self-Management module, 54% felt it enabled them to work in a more efficient manner and 71% indicated it had increased their satisfaction with their work.

For physicians who completed the Group Medical Visits module, 73% indicated they were able to work in a more efficient manner and 82% indicated they were more satisfied with their work.

Of the 21 physicians who did not complete learning modules, 48% in­dicated that they had already incorporated most of the changes covered in the learning modules into their practices.

More information on PSP is available at www.practicesupport.bc.ca and www.impactbc.ca.

—Liza Kallstrom
Practice Support Program