The move to value-based reimbursement is a stark contrast to the way clinicians and healthcare executives have performed under the fee-for-service model.
“We’re responsible for taking care of people as a whole. We’re getting back to focusing on the patient,” said Michael Blackman, MD, chief medical officer at McKesson. “The biggest challenge is trying to get everyone on the same page, making sure they understand their role on the team and how their actions affect the team.”
To get there, administrators and clinicians need to work together. Blackman explained that transparency is crucial. Providers need to both fully recognize their role in this new payment model and where they can have the most impact.
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Understanding that starts with clearly defining the costs of each action and providing clinicians with the education to make the right choices, Blackman said.
“People can make better decisions from a clinical standpoint, but most clinicians don’t know what’s more expensive between A and B. They don’t know how to choose,” he said. “Administrators need to provide that transparency so they can make better decisions.”
And this can only be possible when they are involved with the transition into this new payment model, Blackman explained.
A second crucial component is education.
“It’s about constant education provided in real time, so they can make the right choices,” Blackman said. “The key is educating clinicians on ways that put the patient up front to improve the quality of care.”
Further, the administration needs to be forthright with clinicians about the objectives, so the clinician can better understand some of the constraints, Blackman explained.
“If you keep the right things focused and do everything for the patient, everything else will follow,” Blackman said.
Twitter: @JessieFDavis
Email the writer: jessica.davis@himssmedia.com
