Study to Determine the Impact of the Recently Established PRIMUS Clinics on the Patient Workload in the Pediatric Clinic, General Outpatient Clinic and Emergency Room at Darnall Army Community Hospital.

摘要

The 1984 Department of Defense Authorization Act directed DoD to conduct demonstration projects designed to improve the military direct health care system. The success of ambulatory health care centers in the private health care industry prompted military officials to direct the implementation of a demonstration project using satellite health clinics. The Army Medical Department (AMEDD) established ten of these clinics to extend and complement the military direct health care system. The Army Surgeon General officially designated this project as the Primary Care for the Uniformed Services (PRIMUS) Program. The PRIMUS clinics were to become an important extension of the military health care system. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the PRIMUS clinics on the patient workload in the Pediatric Clinic, General Outpatient Clinic, and Emergency Room at Darnall. A statistical analysis of the patient workload data from the past two years determined that the workload in each of these clinical areas decreased since the PRIMUS clinics opened in June 1988. Proper management of this valuable program is essential to maximize the efficient delivery of primary health care services to eligible beneficiaries.