The Greater Buffalo United Independent Physicians Association (GBUIPA) is a business entity organized and owned by a network of independent physician practices for the purpose of reducing overhead or pursuing business ventures such as contracts with employers, accountable care organizations (ACO) and/or managed care organizations (MCOs). The GBUIPA holds substantial opportunities for innovation in delivery system modeling and benefit design in the creation of physician networks. Specifically, the creation of practice networks involving patient-centered medical home (PCMH) practices that are important and necessary changes in health care delivery.

Our Values

At the GBUIPA, we believe:

  • IPAs should organize a health care delivery system which produces optimal health outcomes for patients.
  • IPAs should promote efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of health care to patients that produces value. The financial benefits that result from this improved care efficiency and effectiveness should go to those who provided the improved care.
  • Family physicians should utilize their unique skills and expertise in care management, in management of the interface between specialists and hospitals, and in their focus on preventive health to create value.
  • Effective management of relationships between primary care physicians, limited specialists, and hospitals is critical to the optimal care of patients, to the success of an IPA, and to the satisfaction of physician participants.
  • An IPA must be able to demonstrate their incremental value to obtain contracts with health plans and other payers for covered lives.
  • Network physicians must have clinical autonomy and assume clinical accountability to optimize an IPAs value.
  • The unique partnership embodied in the doctor/patient relationship must be preserved.
  • Physician equity in IPAs is a critical issue for maintenance of desired degrees of control and autonomy and must be carefully considered by IPA physician participants. These principles may be valuable for physician education and for incorporation into IPA vision and mission statements.

Performance and Recognition

Urban Family Practice – Jefferson has been recognized by NCQA on Achievement of Recognition for Systematic Use of Patient-Centered, Coordinated Care Management Processes.