Organizational and financial influences on patterns of surgical care.
Rates of surgery for similar patient groups are lower in well-established prepaid group plan forms of HMO than in either independent practice association forms of HMO or in traditional fee-for-service care arrangements. The biologic outcomes of care are at least as good in prepaid group plan settings as in other settings. The implications of these conclusions for the future are discussed.
D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006125:Group Practice, Prepaid; D006279:Health Maintenance Organizations; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000191:economics*; D014861:Washington