Queen's University alternative funding plan - Effect on patients, staff, and faculty in the Department of Family Medicine

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of the Queen's University alternative fun ding plan (AFP) on the Department of Family Medicine in terms of patient, s taff, and faculty satisfaction; patient encounter logistics; clinical volum e; and academic activity. DESIGN Before-after study. SETTING Department of Family Medicine at Queen's University in Kingston, On t. PARTICIPANTS Patients, faculty, and staff of the Department of Family Medic ine's Family Medicine Centre. INTERVENTIONS The AFP of Queen's University. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Patient satisfaction, staff and faculty job satisfact ion, patient waiting time, time spent with patients, patient volume, number of publications, and amount of research funding obtained by faculty member s. These outcomes were measured before the AFP began (time 0), 1 year post- AFP (time 1), and 2.5 years post-AFP (time 2). RESULTS In some categories patients' satisfaction decreased at time 1, but in all cases it was either unchanged or improved at time 2. Staff and facul ty job satisfaction did not change over time. Patients spent less time in t he waiting room at time 2 than at time 0. Patient volume dropped about 10% between time 0 and time 2. Publication rate did not change, but external re search funding increased significantly during the study period. CONCLUSION The AFP has improved academic productivity, decreased patient vo lume by 10%, and improved patient flow during clinics. No negative effects on patient satisfaction or on job satisfaction of staff or faculty are appa rent.