Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40087575›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of emergency medicine2025

Impact of physician group practice in the operations, quality of care, and service satisfaction in the non-urgent section of an emergency department in a tertiary hospital in the Philippines: a mixed methods study.

Ma Lourdes Concepcion D Jimenez, Mark B Carascal, Marlouie D Figueras, John Q Wong, Roemer D Tanghal, Veincent Christian F Pepito, Rafael Manzanera

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of emergency medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Ma Lourdes Concepcion D JimenezSchool of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo de Manila University, Pasig City, Philippines. mjimenez@ateneo.edu.
Mark B CarascalClinical and Translational Research Institute, The Medical City, Pasig City, Philippines.
Marlouie D FiguerasCollege of Nursing, Trinity University of Asia, Quezon City, Philippines.
John Q WongEpimetrics Inc, Makati City, Philippines.
Roemer D TanghalSchool of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo de Manila University, Pasig City, Philippines.
Veincent Christian F PepitoSchool of Medicine and Public Health, Ateneo de Manila University, Pasig City, Philippines.
Rafael ManzaneraUniversitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.

Funding

The Medical City Intramural Grant for Quality Improvement and Hospital Operations Research 2022-002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Emergency Department (ED) is a primary source of healthcare services for patients with non-urgent conditions in the Philippines. The adaptation of physician group practice (GP) in the ED has gained popularity in the country due to its potential advantage to patient management and physicians compared to independent consultancy (IC). This study aimed to determine the impacts of GP in a non-urgent ED setting in terms of operations, quality of care, and service satisfaction compared to IC.

methodsHistorical data collection focusing on operations, service costs, patient outcomes, and satisfaction was performed between 2021 and 2022 at a tertiary for-profit private hospital in Metro Manila, Philippines. In addition, patient surveys on demographics, perception, ED accessibility, and descriptive satisfaction ratings were also administered in 2023 (n = 310). These aspects were compared between patients managed by GP and IC quantitatively using univariate descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, and ANCOVA to compare operational metrics, financial data, and patient outcomes. Qualitative data from patient surveys were analyzed using a sequential-explanatory approach.

resultsOur analysis of the historical data showed high rates of positive outcomes for non-urgent ED patients in both GP and IC. Total (PhP587,812 vs. PhP379,699; p < 0.001) and per patient (PhP1,801 vs. PhP554; p < 0.001) operational costs were higher for the GPs. However, GPs incurred shorter mean length of stay (165.5 vs. 214.2 min; p < 0.001). There appears to be no difference in service satisfaction and overall patient outcomes between patients managed by GP or IC, although patients of GP physicians assessed the level of care of the ED to be higher (5 vs. 4; p-value = 0.019). In the quantitative and qualitative ratings, most patients provided positive citations on ED service quality, staff, structure, system, physician competency and compassion.

conclusionsWhile GPs were associated with higher operational costs, they improved the ED efficiency and perceived quality of care without compromising patient outcomes. These findings support GP as a viable alternative model for improving ED operations. However, more research is needed to examine its long-term impacts.

Indexed as

Emergency departmentGroup practiceIndependent consultancyNon-urgentQuality of careService satisfaction

Identifiers

PMID40087575
PMCPMC11907773

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.