Assessing primary care's contribution to academic health centers.

Operating losses are being suffered by academic and private health centers operating primary care practices. The MGMA Cost Survey: 1998 Report Based on 1997 Data reports hospital-owned primary care practices receive an average of $80,819 in financial support for operating costs per full-time equivalent physician. However, little research has been conducted on the factors contributing to the primary care deficit. Moreover, few studies exist regarding the quantification of the benefit of primary care. This presentation seeks to demonstrate (a) the factors contributing to the deficit of a primary care practice and (b) the quantification of primary care referrals to an academic health center.