How independent physicians are at the crux of value-based care

As front-line providers, independent physicians are well positioned to offer patients value-based care that supports the three-part aim of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): better care for individuals, better health for populations, and lower cost. Equipped with the technology to track and maintain patient data, independent physicians are able to provide true holistic care on a more personalized basis.

Shawn Morris, CEO of Privia Health, posits in a recent issue of Modern Healthcare that “Independent physicians and physician groups—relieved of some of the administrative burdens they face in the corporate environment—are empowered to deliver more personalized care experiences for patients and are a linchpin in the search for the quadruple aim: improved population health, better patient experience, better provider experience and reduced costs.”

Technology solutions such as electronic health records (EHRs) enable the independent physician to track patient data in real time and spot trouble areas within the patient population and for each individual patient before those areas become major issues. Independent physicians provide preventative care, ensuring that patients are properly immunized and vaccinated, for example, that could mean the difference in whether a patient may be susceptible to a catastrophic illness.

In particular, independent physicians can use EHRs to holistically evaluate their patient population with a longitudinal record that trends vitals and lab values over time. Providers 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. Direct patient engagement is a critical piece of value-based care as well, a piece that independent physicians are able to provide more readily than their employed counterparts may be.

As Morris continues in his article, “independent doctors are happier practitioners than their employed colleagues and less likely to burn out. Studies also show that physician-owned practices have significantly lower preventable hospital admissions. The bottom line is independent physicians are crucial to an effective healthcare marketplace.”