How to tackle physician barriers to value-based care in 2019

As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) continues to shift its reporting and reimbursement programs to accommodate over-burdened physicians, there continue to be challenges for the primary care physician in providing value-based care.

CMS initiatives that involve more financial risk – for potentially greater rewards – are accompanied by reporting requirements and value-based care measures that may be difficult for some independent physicians to achieve. A report published by ArborMetrix found that “Provider groups and health systems face real limitations accessing data and developing the infrastructure and engagement necessary to succeed under new paradigms.”

Tackling physician barriers to value-based care in 2019 will involve:

Taking advantage of available technology. Electronic health records (EHRs) enable the independent physician to manage patient data and to easily coordinate care for patients. Elation’s EHR solution is designed for the primary care physician to holistically evaluate the patient population with a longitudinal record that trends vitals and lab values over time. The physician can quickly identify patients who aren’t meeting goals based on custom care management protocols, Meaningful Use objectives, or specific document tags, and easily schedule a follow-up appointment to address any potential gaps in care.

Establishing partnerships with community service providers. For those patients who face their own challenges in accessing healthcare, primary care physicians can coordinate with area organizations to facilitate the delivery of value-based care. As Healthcare Informatics explains it, “Social determinants of health often prevent certain populations from accessing care in a timely and cost-effective manner. However, the shift to value-based care, coupled with a willingness of companies across industries to integrate technologies into each others’ platforms, is creating new and interesting collaborations to address some of these disparities.”

Getting involved and providing feedback on value-based care requirements. CMS typically issues draft or proposed rulings with a comment period for physician input. Take advantage of those opportunities to review those documents and submit feedback and input that could make a significant difference in the value-based care landscape.