Shared Medical Appointments
So important it needs its own page
Background
Shared medical appointments (SMAs) are group visits, conducted by a medical provider with billing privileges, where multiple patients with similar medical conditions or needs are seen together in a group. SMAs are endorsed by the AAFP, have been seen in the literature as early as the 1970s, and are routinely conducted at large healthcare organizations around the country.
Lifestyle medicine SMAs are an efficient way to deliver interactive and educational content to groups of 10-15 patients simultaneously over 1-2 hours, all while addressing a pillar of lifestyle medicine - positive social connection! If you are operating in a fee-for-service model and are wishing you could spend more time with your patients to practice lifestyle medicine, SMAs may be your solution.
SMAs have been shown to…
Improve patient satisfaction and patient perception of quality of care
Foster a sense of community
Improve quality of life
Reduce pain and improve measures of social, physical, and mental health in patients suffering from chronic pain
Support meaningful weight loss
Improve hemoglobin A1c and LDL in patients with diabetes
Improve access and productivity, clinician satisfaction, and healthcare utilization
& more!