The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced three Affordable Care Act initiatives designed to help doctors, hospitals and other health care providers improve health care for Americans with Medicare by becoming Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).  First, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) will support a new ACO model that will be available to providers this summer – the Pioneer ACO Model, which is designed for advanced organizations ready to participate in shared savings.  It is projected to save Medicare up to $430 million over three years by better coordinating patient care.  Second, the Innovation Center is seeking comment on the idea of an Advance Payment ACO Model that would provide additional up-front funding to providers to support the formation of new ACOs.  And third, provider groups interested in learning more about how to coordinate patient care through ACOs can attend free new Accelerated Development Learning Sessions.  These initiatives are part of a broader effort by the Obama Administration, made possible by the Affordable Care Act, to improve care and lower costs.

“Over and over again, we have seen that improving how care is delivered to patients is key to reducing the growth in health care spending,” said CMS Administrator Donald M. Berwick, M.D.  “When we improve the coordination of care between providers, reduce duplication of services, and avoid medical errors, we can get better outcomes for patients at less cost.  The Affordable Care Act has given us the tools to achieve these goals.”

Implemented by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, these three new initiatives will help give providers new options and incentives to participate in ACOs. 

• The Innovation Center will release a request for applications (RFA) this week for the Pioneer ACO Model, which provides a faster path for mature ACOs that have already begun coordinating care for patients and are ready to move forward.  This model is designed to work in coordination with private payers in order to achieve cost savings and improve quality across the ACO, thus improving health outcomes and reducing costs for Medicare beneficiaries as well as employers and other insurers. The CMS Office of the Actuary estimates that the care models developed through the Pioneer ACO Model could save Medicare up to $430 million over three years.
  “The Pioneer Model is an opportunity for those organizations that have already adopted significant care coordination processes to move further and faster into seamless, coordinated care by utilizing alternative payment mechanisms,” said Richard Gilfillan, M.D., director of the Innovation Center.
• CMS is seeking input on the idea of an Advance Payment ACO Model, which would give certain ACOs participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program access to their shared savings up front, helping them make the infrastructure and staff investments crucial to successfully coordinating and improving care for patients. 
• The Innovation Center will offer new, free Accelerated Development Learning Sessions to teach providers interested in becoming ACOs what steps they can take to improve care delivery and how to develop an action plan for moving toward providing better coordinated care. Four Accelerated Development Learning Sessions will be held in 2011, with the first session scheduled for June 20-22, 2011 in Minneapolis, MN. The plenary session will be available to all interested organizations through a webcast and all materials from the sessions will be publicly available.

These initiatives are intended to complement the Medicare Shared Savings Program by providing additional options for ACOs.  CMS issued a proposed rule to implement the Medicare Shared Savings Program in March 2011 and is continuing to encourage and accept comments from providers and the public that will help strengthen the final rule.

To learn more:

A fact sheet on these initiatives can be found at:

http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/accountablecare05172011a.html

Organizations interested in applying to the Pioneer ACO Model must submit a letter of intent on or before June 10, 2011.  Applications must be received on or before July 18, 2011.  The Pioneer ACO Request for Application, the Letter of Intent form and the Application form  may be accessed at http://innovations.cms.gov/areas-of-focus/seamless-and-coordinated-care-models/pioneer-aco.  The Innovation Center will hold an Open Door Forum to review the Pioneer ACO Model Request for Application on June 7, 2011.

More information about the Advance Payment ACO Model can be found at: http://innovations.cms.gov/areas-of-focus/seamless-and-coordinated-care-models/advance-payment/.  The Innovation Center will accept comments on the Advance Payment ACO Model, if submitted prior to June 17, 2011.  Comments should be submitted via email to:  advpayACO@cms.hhs.gov.

Individuals wishing to attend the June Accelerated Development Learning Session in person may register at https://acoregister.rti.org. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.

More information about the Medicare Shared Savings Program can be found at:  http://www.cms.gov/sharedsavingsprogram/.  The Medicare Shared Savings Program proposed rule can be downloaded at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2011/pdf/2011-7880.pdf .  Comments on the proposed rule, which can be submitted electronically to www.regulations.gov, must be received by June 6, 2012. 

 

 

 

The FutureMed Executive Program is an immersive and hands-on experience, to be held May 10th-15th at the NASA Ames Research Campus. FutureMed educates and prepares Physicians, Senior Health Care Executives, Innovators, and Investors to understand and recognize the opportunities and disruptive, game changing influences of exponentially growing technologies within medicine, health care and the biomedical industry in the decade ahead.

The richest and most advanced country in the world, the United States, has fallen behind other nations in providing affordable healthcare to its citizens. Americans spend $477 billion a year MORE on health care than other advanced countries, which amounts to $1,645 per person every year. Our friends at Medical Billing and Coding put together this graphic to show exactly why we pay so much for healthcare compared to other wealthy nations. Part 1 can be viewed here.

 

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

 

The Consumer Partnership for eHealth, a non-partisan group of consumer, labor and patient organizations representing more than 127 million people, today released an unprecedented Consumer Platform for Health IT (information technology). For the first time it offers a detailed vision for a patient-centered health care system in which vastly improved access to timely, electronic information equips consumers to actively participate in health care as both partners and leaders.

The new Consumer Platform reflects five years of work by the nation’s leading consumer organizations. Twenty-seven health, aging, caregiver, consumer and labor organizations have signed onto it to date. It calls consumers the most significant untapped resource in health care today. They play a critical, yet undervalued role in decision-making, both on the individual and policy-making levels. Consumers can work collaboratively with other stakeholders as agents of change, informed decision-makers, sources of information, and integrators of better health into the context of their lives, the Platform says. But to fulfill the promise of full engagement in their health care, consumers must have access to information and the tools to make that information meaningful and useful. If the nation can achieve that, and consumers can work as full partners with other stakeholders to improve health outcomes, the promise of better care, greater affordability and healthier communities can be realized, it concludes.

As part of the vision it lays out, the Consumer Platform details characteristics of a new kind of health care system that is truly patient-centered; describes the best ways to implement health IT; outlines roles consumers should play in a reformed health system; and more.

The 13-page Platform says, in part:

Our health care system is dysfunctional and in many ways operates far from the influence of consumers and patients — the people who should be at its very center... Like many others, we believe the meaningful use of health IT can transform health and health care, much as technology has transformed other industries. In addition, we believe the ability of health IT to improve outcomes in the quality, efficiency and experience of health care services is dependent upon the degree to which consumers are engaged in efforts to implement and use these new technologies... consumer, patient and caregiver engagement is the game-changing element of a comprehensive, effective strategy for reforming our overburdened, overpriced health care system, through more effective use of information.

"At this pivotal moment in the transformation of our nation’s health care system, we are issuing both a call for change and a touchstone to which consumers, policy makers and other stakeholders can refer as we develop new policies," said Christine Bechtel, Vice President of the National Partnership for Women & Families, which led the effort to develop the new Consumer Platform. "To date, incredible advancements in medical technology have changed the kind of care we provide, but we’ve seen too little progress in the way we provide it. With this Platform, we hope to change that." Bechtel represents patients and families on the federal Health IT Policy Committee.

A full list of signers to the new Consumer Platform for Health IT follows:

AARP
Advocacy for Patients with Chronic Illness, Inc.
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association on Health and Disability
American Heart Association
American Hospice Foundation
Caring From a Distance
Center for Democracy and Technology
Center for Medical Consumers
Childbirth Connection
Consumers Union
Family Caregiver Alliance
Healthwise®
Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
Mothers Against Medical Error
National Alliance for Caregiving
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
National Consumers League
National Family Caregivers Association
National Health Law Program
National Partnership for Women & Families
National Women’s Health Network
OWL — The Voice of Midlife and Older Women
SEIU
The Children’s Partnership
The Empowered Patient Coalition
Well Spouse Association

The new Consumer Platform for Health IT is available here.

 

Using Medicity's Technology, Colorado and Ohio Will Be Among the First Statewide HIEs to Offer HISP Services to Facilitate the Goal of a Nationwide Interconnected Health System

Medicity, the industry standard for health information exchange (HIE), today announced broad-based support for the Office of the National Coordinator's Direct Project specifications, enabling the more than 125,000 physicians using Medicity technology to securely exchange clinical documentation with any other provider using Direct-compliant technology. This support also allows Medicity customers operating health information networks to offer Health Information Service Provider (HISP) services to their communities.

"By equipping our national client base of heath information networks to fill the HISP role, we hope to extend Direct Project participation to a significant segment of providers nationwide," said Brent Dover, Medicity's president. "Enhancing our entire product portfolio to support communication using the Direct specifications furthers our clients' and the federal government's objective of improving electronic care collaboration among providers."

The Direct Project is a federal government standard designed to enable simple, secure, email-based exchange of clinical documentation between providers. As HISPs, Medicity customers can assign and administer a health domain address (similar to an email address) for each provider in their network. With a secure health domain address, a provider can exchange clinical documentation with providers or patients registered with a HISP anywhere in the United States.

Colorado and Ohio are just two of the states that will take advantage of Medicity's Direct Project support. Medicity's approach supplements the simple messaging capabilities of the Direct Project with guaranteed delivery, advanced security and encryption, built-in HIE connectivity, access to cross-organizational provider directories, and direct integration with EMRs.

"Our partnership with Medicity will enable CORHIO to offer Colorado-based health care providers HISP services including health domain addresses for secure message exchange," said Carrie Mast, chief information officer with CORHIO, the Colorado Regional Health Information Organization. "Colorado health care providers will greatly benefit from Medicity's support of the Direct Project's messaging specifications, as well as other, more robust HIE services offered by the Medicity technology platform."

Fred Richards, the chief information officer and chief operating officer of the Ohio Health Information Partnership, the state-designated entity charged with creating a health information exchange in Ohio, said Medicity's support of the Direct Project will allow his organization to reach out to physicians and healthcare professionals who might not yet have advanced technology.

"The simple direct message protocol allows additional stakeholders to participate in Ohio's statewide health information exchange who might not be using more sophisticated protocols," Richards said. "The Ohio Health Information Partnership is excited to be able to act as a HISP and offer the Direct protocols to improve access to clinical messages."

"Our mission is to provide every clinician in the state of Ohio a way to securely and easily move clinical information to enhance patient care," added Dan Paoletti, acting chief executive officer of the Ohio Health Information Partnership. "The strategic partnership with Medicity -- along with their commitment to assist us in meeting ONC's goals -- creates an exciting opportunity for Ohio providers to expand the meaningful exchange of health information to improve patient outcomes and efficiency of patient care."

About OHIP
The Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP) is a non-profit entity, funded through a combination of state and federal grants, to assist physicians and other providers with implementation and adoption of health information technology (HIT) throughout Ohio.
Follow @OHIPonline on Twitter!

CORHIO is a nonprofit dedicated to improving health care for all Coloradans through health information exchange. CORHIO works closely with and among communities across Colorado to develop and implement secure systems and processes for sharing clinical information. CORHIO collaborates with health care stakeholders including physicians, hospitals, clinics, mental health, public health, long-term care, laboratories, imaging centers, health plans and patients.

About Medicity
Medicity, the industry standard for health information exchange (HIE), is the leading innovator and largest provider of HIE technology -- with more than 750 hospitals, 125,000 physicians and 250,000 end users in its connected ecosystem. Medicity's solutions empower hospitals, physicians and HIEs with secure access to and exchange of health information -- improving the quality and efficiency of patient care locally, regionally and nationally. For more information, please visit www.medicity.com.
Follow @Medicity on Twitter!

75% of U.S. physicians own some form of Apple device, such as an iPhone, iPad or iPod, according to the new Taking the Pulse^® U.S. v11.0 study from pharmaceutical and healthcare market research company Manhattan Research. This year’s study of physician digital adoption trends includes a focus on the iPad and other tablets, professional activities across multiple screens, electronic health records and online patient-physician communication.

“Physicians’ response to the iPad has been overwhelmingly positive, especially for use in the practice setting”

The iPhone surged to dominate the physician smartphone market in 2011 as the number one smartphone platform used by physicians in the U.S. “Despite the success of the Android platform in the overall consumer market, physicians are flocking to the iPhone as their smartphone of choice,” said Meredith Ressi, president of Manhattan Research. Smartphone penetration among physicians exceeded Manhattan Research analysts’ previous forecasts to reach 81% this year.

Just one year after the iPad first hit the market, adoption has reached 30% of U.S. physicians and an additional 28% plan to purchase an iPad within the next six months. “Physicians’ response to the iPad has been overwhelmingly positive, especially for use in the practice setting,” Ressi said. “Physicians also express strong interest in being able to access electronic medical records through the iPad – as more EMR providers offer this ability, iPad accessibility may be a deciding factor for some practices when selecting an EMR provider.”

Manhattan Research is currently fielding a second study to examine physicians’ impressions of pharmaceutical sales reps and medical device reps using iPads during their in-office details. ePharma Physician^® v11.0 and Digital MedTech Physician studies will be released in the summer of 2011.

Upcoming Webinar! Digital Docs around the Globe – Monday, May 16 at 11am EST

On May 16, Meredith Ressi will be presenting a webinar highlighting Manhattan Research’s Taking the Pulse^® Global Series covering 15 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia – with new markets for 2011 including Brazil, Mexico, Russia and Canada. For more information about the webinar and to register, please visit https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/289817315.

About Taking the Pulse^® U.S. v11.0

Taking the Pulse^® U.S. is Manhattan Research’s annual market research study and syndicated advisory service focused on how U.S. physicians use the Internet, digital media, mobile devices and other technologies for professional purposes and patient interaction. Taking the Pulse^® U.S. v11.0 was fielded online and on the phone among 2,041 U.S. practicing physicians in Q1 2011. The data can be segmented across a variety of target specialist audiences, including PCPs, pediatricians, cardiologists, oncologists, gastroenterologists and OB/GYNs. For more information, please visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com/ttp.

About Manhattan Research

Manhattan Research, a Decision Resources, Inc. company, is a global pharmaceutical and healthcare market research and strategic advisory firm and conducts annual research studies covering eHealth trends among healthcare professionals and consumers. For more information, please visit http://www.manhattanresearch.com.

About Decision Resources, Inc.

Decision Resources, Inc. is a cohesive portfolio of companies that offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on important sectors of the healthcare industry. Clients rely on this analysis and data to make informed decisions. Please visit Decision Resources, Inc. at http://www.decisionresourcesinc.com.

All company, brand, or product names contained in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.