title: Continuity and Access in an Academic Family Medicine Center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A personal physician and enhanced access to care are principles of the patient-centered medical home. Despite the importance of these concepts, measuring and improving interpersonal continuity of care and access to care in academic family medicine centers has received little attention. The authors describe their program's methods and results to maximize continuity of care and minimize delays for care using proven principles from improvement science.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2004, a diverse quality improvement team from our family medicine center joined a breakthrough collaborative with other primary care practices focused on improving appointment access and continuity of care. We followed the model for improvement with a specific aim, explicit measures, and ambitious goals. The team adapted and applied principles from a change package presented in the collaborative to improve access and continuity. We planned and performed small tests of change that were subsequently optimized and spread to the entire practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average time to third available appointment for a routine physical improved from 22 days to 8 days. Average usual provider continuity (UPC) across all primary care physicians in the practice improved from 54% to 68%. Among resident physicians, UPC improved from 55% to 68%. These results have been sustained over 5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite multiple challenges in academic teaching practices, the continuous use of improvement methods to apply proven change concepts minimizes delay for care and maximizes continuity of care. The residency continuity practice can and should be a cornerstone of residency curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina.
authors.forename: Samuel S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Weir
authors.forename: Cristy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Warren P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Newton
mesh_terms: D000046:Academic Medical Centers; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000592:standards*; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D009657:North Carolina; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000592:standards