This study aims to assess the efficacy and the cost of a French team work experiment between nurses and GPs for the managing of type 2 diabetes patients. Our study was based on a case control study design in which we compare the evolution of process (standard follow-up procedures) and final outcomes (glycemic control), and the evolution of cost. The study is realized for two consecutive periods between type 2 diabetes patients followed within the team work experiment (intervention group) or by "standard" GPs (controlled group).After 11 months of follow-up, we showed that patients in the intervention group, compared with those in the controlled group, have more chances to remain or to become: correctly followed-up (with OR comprise between 2.1 to 6.8, p<=5%) and under glycemic control (with OR comprise between 1.8 to 2.7, p<=5%). The latter result is obtained only when a visit for education and counselling has been delivered by a nurse in supplement to systematic electronic patient registry and electronic clinical GPs reminder. All these results are obtained without difference in costs between the intervention and the controlled groups.Finally, this experimentation of team working can be considered both effective and efficient. Our findings may have implications in the design of future larger primary care team work experiments to be launched by French health authorities.

Much research in France or abroad has highlighted the medical practice variation (MPV) phenomenon. There is no consensus on the origin of MPV between preference-centered approaches versus opportunities and constraints approaches. This study's main purpose is to assess the relevance of hypotheses which assume that physicians adopt a uniform practice style for their patients for each similar clinical decision in a context of medical decision with low uncertainty and professional practice with weak regulation. Multilevel models are evaluated: first to measure variability of antibiotics prescription by French general practitioners (GPs) for acute rhinopharyngitis regarding clinical guidelines, and to test its significance in order to determine to what extent prescription differences are due to between or within GPs discrepancies; second, to prioritize its determinants, especially those relating to a GP or his/her practice setting environment, while controlling visit or patient confounders. The study was based on 2001 activity data, along with an ad hoc questionnaire, of a sample of 778 GP taken from a panel of 1006 computerized French GPs. We observed that a large part of the total variation was due to intra-physician variability (70%). It is patient characteristics that largely explain the prescription, even if GP or practice setting characteristics (location, level of activity, network participation, continuing medical education) and environmental factors (visit from pharmaceutical sales representatives) also exert considerable influence. This suggests that MPV are partly caused by differences in the type of dissemination of medical information and this may help policy makers to identify and develop facilitators for promoting better use of antibiotics in France and, more generally, for influencing GP practices when it is of interest.

Due to high magnitude and variation in spending on post-acute care, accountable care organizations (ACOs) are focusing on transforming management of hospital discharge through relationships with preferred skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Using a mixed-methods design, we examined survey data from 366 respondents to the National Survey of ACOs along with 16 semi-structured interviews with ACOs who performed well on cost and quality measures. Survey data revealed that over half of ACOs had no formal relationship with SNFs; however, the majority of ACO interviewees had formed preferred SNF networks. Common elements of networks included a comprehensive focus on care transitions beginning at hospital admission, embedded ACO staff across settings, solutions to support information sharing, and jointly established care protocols. Misaligned incentives, unclear regulations, and a lack of integrated health records remained challenges, yet preferred networks are beginning to transform the ACO post-acute care landscape.

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