--- title: "Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care. | Sutter Health" description: "Drawing on an empirical study of a large, multispecialty delivery system engaged in reconfiguration of primary care, we found that using MAs as flow managers required overcoming several challenges." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/med-assts-flow-mgrs-primary-care-1055312486" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care. # Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care: challenges and recommendations. Gray CP, Harrison MI, & Hung D. _J Healthc Manag. 61(3):181-91._ 2016-05-01 ## Abstract As healthcare organizations look for ways to reduce costs and improve quality, many rely increasingly on allied healthcare professionals and, in particular, medical assistants (MAs) to supplement the work of physicians and other health professionals. MAs usually work in primary care, where they often play important roles on healthcare teams. Drawing on an empirical study of a large, multispecialty delivery system engaged in reconfiguration of primary care, we found that using MAs as flow managers required overcoming several challenges. These included entrenched social and occupational hierarchies between physicians and MAs, a lack of adequate training and mentorship, and difficulty attracting and retaining talented MAs. We offer several recommendations for healthcare organizations interested in using MAs as flow managers in their practices. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27356444) ## Research topics - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Scaling Lean in primary care: impacts on system performance.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/scaling-lean-primary-care-system-perf-impact-1055312322) Hung DY, Harrison MI, Martinez MC, Luft HS. Am J Manag Care. 23(3):161-168. 2017 Mar 01 - Publication ### [The public's opinions of physicians: do perceived choice and exercised choice matter?](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/public-opinion-mds-perceived-exercised-choice-1055312570) Tai-Seale M, Pescosolido B. Am J Manag Care. 9(9):631-8. 2003 Sep 01 - Publication ### [Capsule commentary on O'Malley et al., overcoming challenges to teamwork in patient-centered medical homes: a qualitative study.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/comment-omalley-et-al-teamwk-challenges-pcmhs-1055312918) Tai-Seale M. J Gen Intern Med. 30(2):239. doi: 10.1007/s11606-014-3128-y. 2015 Feb 01 - Publication ### [Creating a “Zone of Openness” at the Doctor’s Office.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/create-a-zone-of-openness-at-the-doctors-office-1055312775) Tai-Seale M. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute website. 2013 Sep 10 - Publication ### [Acceptance of Lean redesigns in primary care: A contextual analysis.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/accept-lean-redesign-prim-care-contextual-analysis-1055312514) Hung D, Gray C, Martinez M, Schmittdiel J, Harrison MI. Health Care Manage Rev. \[Epub ahead of print\] Send to: 2016 Mar 02 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/med-assts-flow-mgrs-primary-care-1055312486#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/med-assts-flow-mgrs-primary-care-1055312486#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care: challenges and recommendations.","headline":"Medical assistants as flow managers in primary care.","abstract":"As healthcare organizations look for ways to reduce costs and improve quality, many rely increasingly on allied healthcare professionals and, in particular, medical assistants (MAs) to supplement the work of physicians and other health professionals. 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