Academic Medical Center Services
Your academic medical center (AMC) is responsible for fulfilling its tripartite mission within what is arguably one of the most regulated business environments. Understanding the unique challenges to your AMC and how to best address them is a core strength of ECG. Over 20 professionals within our Academic Healthcare Division dedicate their full energies and expertise to assisting AMC clients.
We have assisted a majority of the medical schools in the U.S. Our professionals are faculty for the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Academic Practice Assembly (APA) of the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), the Alliance of Independent Academic Medical Centers, and other specialty-specific organizations. With a history spanning more than 35 years, the breadth and talent of our professionals, and our unique commitment to AMCs, leads to the success of your organization.
Selected Projects
Turning around the financial performance of an FPP. Expand Minimize
ECG staffed key leadership positions within this multispecialty practice plan for approximately 12 months. During this time, we restructured faculty governance of the practice plan, revised the existing compensation plans, renegotiated third-party contracts, enhanced the performance of the billing function, and made these changes without increases in faculty or staff turnover. As a result of our efforts, performance of the practice plan improved from an anticipated loss of $18 million to profitability.
Developing a rational affiliation agreement between a large teaching hospital and its related faculty practice plan (FPP). Expand Minimize
ECG assisted both the teaching hospital and the FPP in restructuring a long-standing affiliation agreement in order to improve transparency, provide structure, ensure fair market value, and simplify the process for determining appropriate payment and support levels. The agreement has been in place through two update cycles, and the client indicates each has been smooth and efficient.
Integrating the FPP into the health system at a Midwest AMC. Expand Minimize
ECG assisted the client in evaluating alternative organizational approaches for integrating the AMC’s separately incorporated FPP into the university health system. Based on this evaluation, a preferred model was selected that detailed governance, management, operational, and financial linkages between the health system and the FPP.
Restructuring the management of ambulatory care for a West Coast AMC. Expand Minimize
ECG assisted the client in evaluating alternative organizational and management models for integrating provider-based and freestanding ambulatory care clinics between the teaching hospital, FPP, and clinical departments. As a result of this project, the client has created an ambulatory care oversight committee charged with the general governance of both provider-based and freestanding clinics, created medical director positions with management responsibility for both facility and professional revenue and expense, and instituted a single funds flow arrangement. This funds flow arrangement alone has reportedly improved performance of the ambulatory care enterprise, improved physician satisfaction, and enhanced relationships between the entities.
Implementing a primary care graduate medical program for a Midwest school of medicine. Expand Minimize
Given the increasing demands for primary care, especially in underserved rural areas, ECG assisted the client in developing a family medicine residency program. The project entailed the development of a needs assessment and business plan that articulated the requirements and costs of program development, assistance in completing the application process, and ongoing support during the implementation phase of the program. As of 2009, the program graduates approximately five family medicine residents per year.
