Active Duty Access to Specialty Care Within the Great Plains Regional Medical Command: A Cost Benefit Analysis
Abstract
This Graduate Management Project seeks to quantify the direct and indirect costs of specialty referrals for Active Duty members for the purpose of comparing alternative modes of care. The combination of TRICARE program policy on access standards and shrinking military resources necessitates thorough review of the business processes involved with delivering specialty care to the Active Duty patient population. Specific concerns of non-medical expenses i.e., lost productivity, travel, per diem, etc. were analyzed in addition to direct medical costs associated with other alternatives to referring patients to regional military medical centers. A six-month test was conducted to evaluate local contract specialty care as an alternative to regional medical facility referral. The end result was a net savings of nearly $80,000 by way of increased usage of local contract care. However, non-medical savings were realized at expense of increased medical contract costs. Current funding policy needs modification in order to provide effective economic incentives for military health care managers to contract care locally.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA372404
Entities
People
- Scott A. Burgess