University of Wisconsin–Madison ⋅ Medical College of Wisconsin
WMJ

The Development and Evolution of Group Medical Visits at UW Health

Sarah Walters, BS; Isabella Rodriguez Cardenas, BS; Karina Viloria Rodriguez, MD; Lisa Simpson, PA; Magnolia Larson, DO; Greta Kuphal, MD; Katherine Eby, RN; Melissa Stiles, MD; Lisa Grant, DO; Bruce Barrett, MD, PhD

WMJ. 2026;125(3):371-377. Published August 11, 2026.

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ABSTRACT

Introduction: Chronic disease management presents substantial challenges for both patients and health care providers, often limited by time, resources, and operational complexities. Group medical visits (GMVs) at UW Health have evolved as a collaborative intervention, combining clinician-led care with peer support to address chronic conditions such as chronic pain, heart disease, anxiety, and more.

Methods: This program evaluation explores the development and characteristics of GMVs at UW Health through a qualitative approach, utilizing interviews, observations, and questionnaires to analyze GMV practices across multiple UW Health clinics.

Results: The findings highlight key themes, including a sense of community through group support, clinician satisfaction, the innovative structure of GMVs, wellness-based content, integrative facilitation of care, and areas for improvement.

Conclusions: As GMVs continue to evolve, enhancing support mechanisms, refining recruitment strategies, and expanding access will be crucial for optimizing their impact on chronic disease management. These insights offer valuable learnings for UW Health and other institutions seeking to refine and expand GMVs.

Author affiliations: Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison (UWSMPH), Wisconsin (Walters, Viloria Rodrigues, Simpson, Larson, Kuphal, Eby, Barrett); UWSMPH, Madison, Wisconsin (Rodriguez Cardenas, Grant).
Corresponding author: Bruce Barrett, MD, PhD, 610 N Whitney Way, Suite 200, Madison, WI 53705; email bruce.barrett@fammed.wisc.edu; ORCID ID 0000-0002-3953-4718
Financial disclosures: None declared.
Funding/support: None declared.
Acknowledgements: The authors wish to acknowledge Alyssa Bobo, NBC-HWC, RN, Diane Scherschel, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Osher Center for Integrative Health housed within the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, whose work was essential for the development of this article. They would also like to thank medical librarian Leslie Christensen for assistance with bibliographic research.

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