Independent physicians can stay independent during transition to value-based care

Independent physicians can stay independent during transition to value-based care July 10, 2017

There is uncertainty surrounding how independent physicians will adapt to the transition from fee-for-service to value-based care. In reality, independent providers are already uniquely situated to succeed within this new landscape.

Farzad Mostashari, MD, writing in the Annals of Family Medicine, cites research suggesting “that small, physician-owned practices …have lower average cost per patient, fewer preventable hospital admissions, and lower readmission rates than larger, independent- and hospital-owned practices.” Independent practices realize all of these benefits, while also providing personal attention and responsiveness to their patients.

Since value-based care is focused on patients and the quality of care provided to those patients, independent physicians are poised to deliver on the type of care required to succeed in the value-based world.  Independent physicians have provided this kind of care for generations – but with the right technology, that advantage grows.

Optimizing the value of care

An effective EHR for independent primary care should be cloud-based and easy to use in the clinic, eliminating the need for redundancy and additional work. With the right technology tools, providers can focus more on the patient’s needs and less on the paperwork involved in a patient’s care.  Using a Clinical EHR helps to drive quality patient outcomes that are especially important in a value-based system.

In addition, primary care physicians will take an increasingly important role as the quarterback in patient care within the value-based environment. Understanding a patient’s complete medical care profile, including having access to the network of providers a patient has seen for specialty medical services, will enable independent physicians to optimize the “value” in their transition to value-based care. Communications between providers can be a crucial element of making more efficient and more accurate medical decisions, which is the key to providing personalized high-quality care.

To learn more about Elation Health’s cloud-based Clinical EHR solutions and how we can help you succeed in the new value-based care landscape, contact us today.