Many specialty physicians are increasingly learning about Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act requirements, but few are preparing their practices to fulfill them, according to a survey from West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Integra Connect.
The survey, which took place during Integra Connect's June 2017 meeting in Atlanta, involved practices representing approximately 800 U.S. specialty physicians. Fifty-eight percent of respondents were oncologists and 42 percent were urologists.
Here are seven survey findings.
1. The survey found 100 percent of respondents do not yet fully understand MACRA's impact on their practices.
2. In describing their MACRA awareness, 71 percent of respondents said, "I am learning but have a way to go."
3. More than half of respondents (56 percent) seek to deliver cost savings under MACRA through practice transformation, the survey found.
4. However, 24 percent of respondents said they are unprepared and 40 percent of respondents said they are taking a "do-it-yourself" approach with current resources and tools.
5. Respondents cited "right people/skills" (23 percent), "understanding requirements" (20 percent) and "cultural shift for value-based care" (19 percent) as the top three barriers to success under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System.
6. Respondents identified new investment areas to be most successful with MIPS. These included "consulting services" (25 percent), "new care coordination resources" (23 percent) and "new EHRs" (21 percent).
7. But a majority of respondents (62 percent) "don't know how, or have no plans, to fund" these new investments, according to Integra Connect. Additionally, the survey found more than half of respondents "are not ready to support value-based care with their EHR."