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.
Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

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.
The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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.
McGraw-Hill Concise Dictionary of Modern Medicine. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

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
Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012
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The fifth HMO, the Independent Practice Association (IPA), was established in 1984 to compete for patients with other HMOs.
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The EDI installation (EZ-CAP's Provider Communications Link, or PCL) allows nurses at the primary care physician's offices in our Independent Practice Association (IPA) to go directly on-line to make the request.
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MemorialCare Health System is a not-for profit, integrated delivery system that includes six top hospitals - Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach, Community Hospital Long Beach, Orange Coast Memorial in Fountain Valley, and Saddleback Memorial in Laguna Hills and San Clemente; a medical group - MemorialCare Medical Group; an Independent Practice Association (IPA) - Greater Newport Physicians; MemorialCare HealthExpress retail clinics; ambulatory surgery centers and numerous outpatient health centers throughout the Southland.
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Manawatu Independent Practice Association (MIPA) nurse Jenny Ayling, who established Palmerston North's Youth Health Service, received the innovation award in primary health.
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In fact, for large-scale projects, such as the formation of an independent practice association, it's good to have both.
Practice Management Consultant or Attorney?

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