Table 5

Characteristics of PHOs (simplified)

Small (< 20,000 enrolees)
Inadequate management resources
Large (>20,000 enrolees)
Well resourced, efficiently managed

Access funded
History – Previous NGO, capitated
Low Investment in IT, premises
Salaried doctors
Interim funded
History – Previous IPA, fee-for-service
Established IT, premises etc
Doctors own practice

Low co-payments
Full/increasing use of nurses
Established community governance
Maori and Pacific focus
Higher co-payments
Use of nurses dependent on busy-ness
Establishing community governance
General population focus

McAvoy and Coster Australia and New Zealand Health Policy 2005 2:26   doi:10.1186/1743-8462-2-26