As primary care providers increasingly participate in value-based payment models, care facilities can employ several strategies to ensure quality care delivery for chronic disease patients, a study published in Healthcare found.
The researchers interviewed 14 primary care practices participating in value-based payment models. Half of the practices improved patient outcomes over time for their chronic disease patients, according to administrative claims data.
Researchers found several strategies that separated the practices with improved performance for chronic disease patients. They balanced immediate care delivery needs while developing adaptive structures and processes to better address changing demands.
Here are the six strategies more prevalent among the improving practices:
1. Participating in learning collaboratives
2. Accessing payer tools to monitor quality performance
3. Framing pay-for-performance as a practice transformation opportunity
4. Reinvesting earned incentive money in improving the practice
5. Employing a care manager
6. Using technical support from local hospitals and provider organizations to support performance improvement
"Practices are serving an increasingly complex population while simultaneously complying with numerous new service and documentation requirements under value-based program models," said study author Dori Cross, PhD. "Those successful at improving outcomes for chronic disease patients under these models did so by pursuing a culture of change, with strategies that emphasized adaptiveness and creative use of resources."