Week in Review: Medical Home and ACO-My!
Medical Home and ACO-My!
Thursday, June 13th
 
Dear Members and Friends:

This week we've seen some exciting news about medical homes and ACOs, most importantly their critical role in driving care delivery reform and cost savings-- a perfect update for this month's focus on payment reform.

CareFirst announced that their medical home program exceeded first year results, saving nearly $100 million over 2 years by reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits. You'll also notice a great new resource from The Commonwealth Fund that promises a "jargon-free" overview of the critical role of primary care and medical homes, along with some new infographics.

This week, Bloomberg reports that hospitals across the U.S. are improving care and saving millions by creating ACOs, deeming them "one of the least touted but potentially most effective provisions of the law." To illustrate the powerful force of the ACO model, we encourage you to read our latest case study which highlights the innovative work of Bon Secours Virginia Medical Group, a Medicare Shared Savings ACO in Richmond, VA.
 
We also have a couple of exciting learning events coming up, including our Monthly National Briefing on June 27th with Brookings' Dr. Kavita Patel, and a webinar on June 28th with Drs. Christine and Thomas Sinsky.

Learn more below!

Sincerely,

Marci Nielsen, PhD, MPH
Chief Executive Officer 
 
Payment Reform Meets Delivery Reform at Bon Secours
A new PCPCC case study highlights the work of Bon Secours Virginia Medical Group, a multi-specialty group practice in Richmond, Virginia. Bon Secours has been a pioneer in implementing the medical home model, which provided a strong foundation for becoming an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in January 2013.

To maximize the benefits of payment reform and their commitment to continuous quality improvement, Bon Secours adopted several innovative technologies to master population health management, including patient registries, personal health records, and risk stratification tools.

Read more about the Bon Secours experience.
CCHIT Releases Health IT Framework for ACOs
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) just released their framework for the health information technology (HIT) capabilities necessary to support an accountable care organization (ACO).

The guide is designed to support stakeholders in their adoption of health IT and health information exchange. Requirements include data capture and integration from multiple sources, patient safety, and privacy and security.
 
Welcome to our 
Newest Executive Committee Member:
Upcoming Events
Webinars, Seminars, and Knowledge Sharing
 
Successful Sophomore Year for CareFirst PCMH Program



CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield announced the results of their medical home program, which is among the largest in the country, serving more than 1 million members. The press release indicates that second year cost savings put the program at nearly $100 million saved over two years.

CareFirst attributed the achievements to improving processes such as care management and coordination that led to reduced hospital admissions, emergency room visits, and drug spending. Nearly 70 percent of primary care panels earned incentive payments in 2012 for these improvements at an average rate increase of 28.8 percent.
New Brief Highlights Critical Role of Primary Care
A new brief from The Commonwealth Fund, Primary Care: Our First Line of Defense, touches on the critical role of primary care in improving the patient experience and the economy by establishing a strong foundation of primary care.

The brief also includes an overview of medical homes with new infographics, payment reform models, and specific ways in which the Affordable Care Act will strengthen primary care.
 
Searching for "Joy in Practice" with Drs. Christine and Thomas Sinsky
In Search of Joy in Practice: Innovations from 23 High Functioning Primary Care Practices
Date: Friday, June 28th
Time: Noon - 1:30 PM ET
Add to calendar.

Based on research published in the Annals of Family Medicine, this webinar will describe innovations that can increase a physician’s work-life satisfaction, attract future physicians to the field, and improve the quality of patient care.
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Copyright © 2013 Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative

unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Go to top