Sharing Resources to Deliver High-Value Primary Care
<p>The new health reform legislation ensures that up to 20 million low-income Americans will gain insurance coverage through Medicaid by 2019. To serve these future beneficiaries, it will be essential for Medicaid to purchase high-value primary care that drives better outcomes, greater patient satisfaction, and more efficient use of resources.</p>
<p>The new Commonwealth Fund report <a href="/publications/fund-reports/2011/mar/driving-value-medicaid-primary-care-role-shared-support-networks">Driving Value in Medicaid Primary Care: The Role of Shared Support Networks for Physician Practices</a>, prepared by the Center for Health Care Strategies, explores how a system of shared supports can help ensure that smaller independent physician practices serving Medicaid patients are able to deliver a full range of medical home services. Types of services that practices can share include: coverage for evening and weekend appointments; patient registry reports and panel management; electronic systems for ordering, receiving, and tracking tests; and the use of nonphysician staff to help manage care. </p>
<p>Written by Nikki Highsmith and Julia Berenson, the report covers: </p>
<ul>
<li>the essential components of practice supports</li>
<li>ways in which Medicaid could purchase, or catalyze providers to invest in, such supports </li>
<li>how Medicaid could connect physicians working in small independent practices to create virtual networks </li>
<li>financing for shared supports</li>
<li>policy recommendations for advancing high-value primary care. </li>
</ul>
<p>Read <a href="/publications/fund-reports/2011/mar/driving-value-medicaid-primary-care-role-shared-support-networks">the report</a> to learn more. <br /></p>