GHI and HIP Launch Pilot Medical Home Network Project with Support from
Commonwealth Fund
Program is first of its kind in New York. Expected results include higher
quality care, increased efficiency, and better patient outcomes
NEW YORK, Jan. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Group Health Incorporated (GHI) and
Health Plan of New York (HIP) will launch a Medical Home High Value Network
project, the first of its kind in New York, that will provide adult primary
care physician practices in New York with the opportunity to become Medical
Home Practices. GHI and HIP see this as a critical element in the future to
providing health care services to people in New York. The Program evaluation
is supported by a grant from the Commonwealth Fund.
The American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family
Physicians have proposed that all primary care physician practices transform
themselves into Medical Homes. The Medical Home concept employs a team
approach to patient care led by a personal, primary care physician, offering
much higher levels of performance in terms of patient experience, quality of
care, and efficiency of resources when compared to traditional practices.
The Medical Home healthcare team provides direct services and coordinates
services among other physicians and licensed health care providers for each
patient. Patients have access to enhanced appointment systems, telephone and
email communication, clinical decision support tools that guide evidence-based
practice, the use of health information technology, and support for patient
involvement in informed decision making and self-care.
To assess the effectiveness of the program, participants will be divided
into a supported group and a comparison group, each comprised of 25 adult
primary care physician practices. The total number of participants in the
supported group is expected to include approximately 100 physicians and 20,000
patients.
The supported group will be paid using revised payment methodology and
will receive technical support for office redesign and care management. Data
on the success of the project will be derived from submissions of claims and
performance measures of quality for procedures such as mammograms, diabetes
testing, and cervical cancer screenings; outcomes for diabetes and
hypertension; efficiency measures; and patient experience measures such as
overall satisfaction, access, self-care support, and physician communication.
The Ethel Donahue Center for Translating Research Into Practice at the
University of Connecticut will track and assess the experiences and challenges
faced by the medical practices as they transform into Medical Homes. The
resulting impact on quality will be tracked and assessed by NCQA, an
independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to measuring the quality of
America's health care. At the end of the two-year study period, the Plan will
compile and publish project results.
"Physicians in our networks are important partners in the care that is
provided to our members," said Aran Ron, GHI President. "In this project we
are committing to helping groups of physicians transform their practices
according to the Medical Home concept that has been developed and endorsed by
the primary care specialty societies."
"The patient-centered medical home model holds great promise for extending
the physician-patient relationship beyond the confines of the doctor's
office," said Margaret E. O'Kane, President of NCQA. "Well-considered efforts
such as this one will use standardized tools to assess patient-centered
medical homes. It's important to be able to compare the results of this
project with that of others to advance our understanding of the value of
medical homes."
Karen Davis, Commonwealth Fund President, noted, "If they succeed they
will have blazed the trail for other physicians and health plans."
Interested HIP and GHI physicians who would like to learn more about this
program may attend the following seminar at no cost on Thurs., Jan. 10, at HIP
Headquarters, 55 Water St.:
Medical Hope High Value Network Project: Transforming Your Practice
For information about this free seminar, contact Barbara Kupferman, RN at
1-646-447-7276 or bkupferman@hipusa.com.
About GHI
Group Health Incorporated (GHI) is a statewide health insurer serving New
Yorkers since 1937. GHI and its wholly owned subsidiary, GHI HMO, provide
health care coverage and administrative services to more than 2.6 million
people. GHI offers customers a variety of PPO, EPO, and HMO programs, as well
as prescription drug, dental, and vision plans. Throughout its history GHI has
pioneered many of the programs that are now standard in the health insurance
field. In 2006, GHI affiliated with HIP Health Plan of New York under a common
parent, EmblemHealth, Inc. HIP and GHI serve more than four million members
and provide access to nearly 92,000 physicians and other providers in 142,000
locations. For additional information about GHI, please visit www.ghi.com.
SOURCE GHI and HIP
Ilene Margolin, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, GHI,
+1-212-615-0098; or Nadine Woloshin of Rubenstein Associates Public Relations,
+1-212-843-8041, for GHI and HIP
