Project EARN

Project Lead: Richard Leuchter

Nudge Unit Team: Hengchen Dai, Craig Fox, Jeff Fujimoto, Jana Gallus, Allie Lieberman 

Collaborators: Evelyn Curls, Maria Han

Collaborating Department/Division: UCLA Health Department of Medicine

Project Description: The Expanded Access: Reaching New Patients (EARN) Program is a targeted initiative developed to address a significant-patient backlog in new appointment availability across UCLA Health’s primary care network. The program offers primary care physicians the option to extend their clinical hours by 8 hours per month in exchange for up to $50,000 in additional annual compensation, including a guaranteed $25,000 stipend plus RVU-based incentives. These extended access appointments are primarily reserved for new patients but may also be used for existing patients if slots go unfilled. Designed with flexibility in mind, physicians can tailor their participation to fit their availability and clinic needs. After helping to design the program, the Nudge Unit developed a behaviorally informed message that was given to physicians to promote the program and encourage participation. The program aims to improve patient access, physician engagement, and care delivery efficiency across the system.