Group visits for chronic illness care: models, benefits and challenges.

C hronic illness is proving to be one of the most pressing public health issues of the 21st century. Managing chronic diseases, which includes gaining a comprehensive knowledge of patients and addressing their risky behaviors, can be complicated by current demands on physicians’ time. The Future of Family Medicine Project identified the need for patientcentered care that eliminates access barriers and improves quality, outcomes and practice finances. Group visits, which were identified as an important facet of a “new model” of care described in the Future of Family Medicine report, allow physicians to deliver extensive patient education and self-management instruction while possibly increasing financial productivity. The Future of Family Medicine Project estimated that group visits have the potential of generating an additional $15,411 per physician per year. In addition, group visits offer patients with similar illnesses an opportunity to interact with and learn from one another. The purpose of this article is to describe current group visit models and to discuss the unique advantages and challenges group visits present for physicians based on our four-year experience.