To begin, consider the Outpatient Surgery Pre- and Post-Op Clinic. What type of extender is most suitable for this clinic? Justify your answer.
Assume that one extender is hired and that the number of physicians remains at the level given in Exhibit 5.1.
Furthermore, the extender can be used both to increase physician productivity and to increase volume. What would be the financial impact on the clinic?
Now repeat the analysis, but assume that the extender replaces one physician.
Repeat the analysis again, but now assume that the extender is used solely to increase the clinic’s capacity. (The extender acts independently to increase patient volume.)
Which of the three scenarios (increasing physician productivity/capacity, replacing a physician only, or increasing capacity only) appears to be best at this point? Suppose that the expected volume increase could be met by increasing the productivity of the current physician staff.
How would this fact influence the final decision?
Now consider the Internal Medicine Clinic. Repeat Question 2 in this setting.
Now consider the Eldercare Clinic. Repeat Question 2 in this setting.
Compare the relative attractiveness of using extenders at the three clinics. Explain your results.
Considering all your findings, what are your conclusions and recommendations regarding the use of physician extenders? In your opinion, what are three key learning points from this case?
