New Research Shows the Importance of PCPs in the Healthcare Mix
Uncertainty regarding the future of the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is truly palpable. One day policymakers are ready to repeal and replace, the next they are back to the drawing board.
The one certainty in healthcare reform is that change should be expected. The U.S. healthcare system is the costliest in the world and is anticipated to grow nearly 20 percent by 2020, according to the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI).
While we as medical professionals continue to adjust to changing direction from the federal government, take comfort in one steady pursuit: the Triple Aim.
The IHI “Triple Aim Initiative” refers to, among other things, systematic approaches to (1) improving the patient experience of care (quality and satisfaction); (2) improving the health of distinct populations; and (3) reducing the per capita cost of healthcare.
Defined initially by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the IHI “Triple Aim Initiative” is in full swing at Mercy Health System and in Mercy Accountable Care, our ACO. Triple Aim is here to stay.
Our efforts focus on transitioning from provider-driven care to patient-centered care. In addition to being the right thing to do, changing this focus is what patients need. And it is proving to be economically sound.
The transition from fee-for-service to value-based payment models allows healthcare organizations to optimize services to lower costs and improve patient care.
Depending on an organization’s specific geography and patient demographics, the organization collaborates with payors – whether public, private or a mix – to determine the appropriate payment models for its physicians. Ultimately, the right payment models are critical to better care delivery and to efficient financial outcomes for both organizations and patients.
If organizations provide alternative payment models and physicians focus on delivering value-based care, patients will have better access to disease management and preventive services. This approach – fully in line with the Triple Aim – helps decrease episodic care and promotes healthier populations.
According to new research conducted online in February 2017 by Harris Poll on behalf of Mercy Health System1, three out of four U.S. adults who have a primary care physician (75 percent) say they know the name of their PCP. On the flip side, among adults who have a PCP and have been to an urgent care center, only about one in 10 (12 percent) say they know the name of the medical professional who most recently treated them at an urgent care center.
Additionally, the research showed nearly six in 10 U.S. adults who have a PCP (59 percent) believe their PCP cares about them, and 49 percent believe their PCP knows them personally.
The message to primary care physicians is clear. We need to continue broadening our patients’ access to care and further cultivating strong bonds with our patients.
Without a PCP, no one central physician will be able to see the complete picture to help guide a patient through difficult and complicated chronic diseases — one of the core principles of the Triple Aim.
In the face of endless political battles, it is our duty, as medical professionals, to keep our eyes trained on our patients and our minds sharply focused on the overall health of the populations we serve.
Find comfort in the Triple Aim, as it is truly patient-focused.
1 The survey was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Mercy Health System from February 1-3, 2017 among 1,735 U.S. adults ages 18+ who have a primary care physician, For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact Darrah Foster at Anne Klein Communications Group at 856.866.0411 ext. 122 or Darrah@annekleincg.com.