Term: Assigned Practice Population (APP)

Glossary Definition

Last Updated: 2006-05-22

Definition:

The group of patients "assigned" to a physician or a clinic. In Manitoba, the population is not formally assigned to physicians and therefore tend to visit more than one physician or group of physicians (i.e.: a clinic) over time. This creates complexity for research in which the physician is the primary unit of analysis. For such analysis, it is necessary to first derive a practice population for each physician or clinic. Different methods have been used to approach this issue including: the Plurality Approach, Equivalent Approach, or the Majority Source of Care (MSOC) Approach.

Related concepts 

• Measuring Continuity of Care (Continuity of Care Index)
• Measuring Majority of Care
• Patient Allocation Algorithm: Assigning Patients to Physicians, Physician Groups or Clinics

Related terms 

• Equivalent Approach to Patient Assignment
• Majority Source of Care (MSOC) Method of Patient Assignment
• Plurality Approach to Patient Assignment / Allocation
• Practice Populations
• Primary Care
• Regular Patient
• Rostering (formal)
• Total Practice Population

References 

• Katz A, De Coster C, Bogdanovic B, Soodeen R, Chateau D. Using Administrative Data to Develop Indicators of Quality in Family Practice. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2004. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Menec V, Black C, Roos NP, Bogdanovic B. Defining Practice Populations for Primary Care: Methods and Issues. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 2000. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Reid RJ, Bogdanovic B, Roos NP, Black C, MacWilliam L, Menec V. Do Some Physician Groups See Sicker Patients Than Others? Implications for Primary Care Policy in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy and Evaluation, 2001. [Report] [Summary] (View)
• Watson D, Bogdanovic B, Heppner P, Katz A, Reid RJ, Roos NP. Supply, Availability and Use of Family Physicians in Winnipeg. Winnipeg, MB: Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, 2003. [Report] [Summary] (View)