Cain Brothers, a division of KeyBanc Capital Markets, dives into the patient-centered primary care models that are driving meaningful change and quality results. The article, titled "Scaling Relationship-Based Care: Different Spokes (Care Models) for Different Folks," highlights the strides VillageMD is making in physician satisfaction and clinical outcomes.
"VillageMD CEO Tim Barry says, “The problem with primary care is that we’ve taken this profession of people who love caring for a community of patients and forced them to work in ways that lead to sub-optimal outcomes.” In response, VillageMD returns job satisfaction to the practice of medicine.
The company accomplishes this through an expansive approach to providing primary care services. VillageMD’s “platform” incorporates data, technology, incentives and protocols to support their doctors in delivering superior primary care services. In essence, VillageMD helps physicians serve their patients better.
Their primary care model focuses on total care and quality outcomes to eliminate unnecessary hospital admissions. As co-founder and CMO Clive Fields notes, “We’re concierge medicine without the concierge or the cost.”
When VillageMD enters new markets, it partners with existing primary care physician groups and converts their physicians to risk-based contracts through management service organizations (MSOs). This aligns payment with desired treatment practices. To achieve optimal performance, the model requires leveraging size and scale across large patient populations.
VillageMD invests in technology, analytics and management systems that reduce administrative burdens and drive aligned practices that lead to better outcomes, lower costs and less utilization. High levels of physician satisfaction indicate patient satisfaction.
VillageMD works closely with its health plan partners to deliver 15-20% lower-cost care with better outcomes and member satisfaction. In 2015, it formed a joint venture with Community Health Network of Indianapolis called Primaria Health. This organization expanded rapidly to cover 130,000 members, becoming the largest primary care provider in Central Indiana."
To read the full piece from Cain Brothers, click here.
