What is the primary role of a primary care physician in an HMO?

The primary care physician in a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plays a crucial role as a gatekeeper to specialty services. This means that the primary care physician manages and coordinates the patient's overall healthcare, ensuring that they receive appropriate referrals to specialists when needed. By serving in this capacity, the primary care physician helps to streamline care, avoid unnecessary specialist visits, and control costs associated with specialist services. Their position is essential for maintaining the efficiency of the healthcare system within an HMO, as they also track preventive care and manage chronic conditions.

This structure allows for a more integrated approach to healthcare, where the primary care physician is ideally situated to understand the patient's complete medical history and needs before directing them to additional resources. The other choices describe functions that might intersect with healthcare delivery, but they do not accurately reflect the central responsibility of the primary care physician within the HMO framework.