independent practice association
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Related to independent practice association: Individual practice association
independent practice association (IPA),
an association of independent physicians or small groups of physicians formed for the purpose of contracting with one or more managed health care organizations. Member physicians provide medical services for HMO patients in their own offices and are allowed to maintain private practices.
See also: managed care, health maintenance organization.
See also: managed care, health maintenance organization.
independent practice association
n. Abbr. IPA
An independent group of physicians and other health-care providers that are under contract to provide services to members of different HMOs, as well as other insurance plans, usually at a fixed fee per patient.
independent practice association
Managed care A group of providers, typically physicians, who organize into a corporation that contracts with HMOs; in IPAs, physicians retain their traditional practice autonomy while integrating themselves into self-directed groups that solve group problems and exert political influence. See HMO, Managed care, Risk pool. Cf Group model, Network model, Staff model.in·de·pen·dent prac·tice as·so·ci·ation
(in'dĕ-pen'dĕnt prak'tis ă-sō'sē-ā'shŭn)An association of independent physicians or small groups of physicians formed for the purpose of contracting with one or more managed health care organizations. Member physicians provide medical services for patients enrolled in those organizations in their own offices but are also allowed to maintain private practices.
See also: managed care, health maintenance organization
See also: managed care, health maintenance organization