St Luke's Sports Medicine, Boise, Idaho.
Emory Orthopaedic and Spine Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
Sports Health. 2013 Jul;5(4):337-9. doi: 10.1177/1941738112472659.
Research has shown increases in efficiency and productivity by using physician extenders (PEs) in medical practices. Certified athletic trainers (ATCs) that work as PEs in primary care sports medicine and orthopaedic practices improve clinic efficiency.
When compared with a medical assistant (MA), the use of an ATC as a PE in a primary care sports medicine practice will result in an increase in patient volume, charges, and collections.
Cross-sectional study.
For 12 months, patient encounters, charges, and collections were obtained for the practices of 2 primary care sports medicine physicians. Each physician was assisted by an ATC for 6 months and by an MA for 6 months. Eighty full clinic days were examined for each physician.
Statistically significant increases were found in all measured parameters for the ATC compared with the MA. Patient encounters increased 18% to 22% per day, and collections increased by 10% to 60% per day.
ATCs can optimize orthopaedic sports medicine practice by increasing patient encounters, charges, and collections.
Orthopaedic practices can be more efficient by using ATCs or MAs as PEs.
研究表明，在医疗实践中使用医师助理（PE）可以提高效率和生产力。在初级保健运动医学和骨科实践中作为 PE 工作的认证运动训练师（ATC）可以提高诊所的效率。
与医疗助理（MA）相比，在初级保健运动医学实践中使用 ATC 作为 PE 将增加患者量、费用和收款。
横断面研究。
在 12 个月内，获取了 2 名初级保健运动医学医生的实践中的患者就诊、费用和收款情况。每位医生的助理由 ATC 负责 6 个月，由 MA 负责 6 个月。每位医生检查了 80 个完整的诊所日。
与 MA 相比，ATC 在所有测量参数上均有统计学显著增加。患者就诊量每天增加 18%至 22%，收款每天增加 10%至 60%。
ATC 可以通过增加患者就诊、费用和收款来优化骨科运动医学实践。
通过使用 ATC 或 MA 作为 PE，骨科实践可以更高效。
