CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – WakeMed Key Community Care (WKCC), an Accountable Care Organization (ACO), and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) have signed an agreement that will enhance quality and provide greater value to BCBSNC members who receive care from WakeMed Health & Hospitals, WakeMed Physician Practices or Key Physicians, the largest network of independent primary care physicians in the Triangle. With this agreement, BCBSNC and WKCC will establish a Joint Quality Committee, responsible for achieving high quality measures that focus on prevention, chronic conditions, inpatient quality and patient satisfaction.
Doctors, hospitals and insurers participate voluntarily in accountable care programs to deliver enhanced coordination of care and provide resources to help reduce costs and improve quality of care for patients. These efforts can benefit patients in a variety of ways across their health care experience, from a routine check-up, ongoing disease management, an essential procedure, to an unforeseen trip to the emergency department.
Through the new agreement with BCBSNC, WKCC will work closely together to help patients better manage their health. WKCC and BCBSNC have established a financial structure that focuses on paying for the value of health care – including quality and efficiency. This will enhance doctors’ ability to provide exceptional care both in and out of the office setting, while controlling medical costs. WKCC became an approved participant in the Medicare Shared Savings Program on January 1, 2014. As a result, WKCC’s Medicare patients are already benefiting from the ACO.
Benefits of this new care model include:
- Proactive services that help patients achieve wellness and receive preventive care such as immunizations and screenings.
- Tools, materials and outreach that help patients better manage their chronic diseases.
- Secure online access to personal health information so patients can actively participate in their care.
- Staff to help patients navigate care at the right level, at the right time, in the right setting.
- Safer, more effective care as a result of shared knowledge and best practices among health care providers.
- More information about the quality and costs of care.
“Health care will continue to evolve and our collaboration with WakeMed Key Community Care is just one example of how we can all work together across the health care industry to focus on the value, not volume, of health care services,” said Susan Weaver M.D., chief medical officer of BCBSNC. “Our goal at BCBSNC is to continue to create innovative relationships with providers that shift the focus of care to high quality outcomes at a more affordable cost while enhancing the experience for our customers.”
“WKCC providers and BCBSNC will work as a team to align resources, share information and streamline processes, thereby improving the overall patient experience,” adds Dr. Leslie McKinney, president of WakeMed Key Community Care. “The collaborative approach helps to avoid duplicate tests and services, while focusing on the patient to ensure they receive the most effective care in the right setting based on best practices. This means more involvement in prevention as well as a more active role in helping people manage their overall health.”
Patients do not need to enroll or sign up. Current and new BCBSNC customers who are patients of WakeMed Health & Hospitals, WakeMed Physician Practices and Key Physicians will automatically benefit from enhanced coordination of their care through the ACO. Insurance benefits stay the same whether or not a patient’s physician participates in an ACO. To learn more about WKCC or the program, visit www.wakemedkeycc.org.
About WakeMed Key Community Care:
WakeMed Key Community Care is an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) established to enhance the quality and coordination of health care, and reduce the costs of care by providing more value for patients. ACOs enable medical providers to work closer together to create healthier communities and help Triangle-area patients better manage their health. A collaboration between WakeMed Health & Hospitals and Key Physicians, WakeMed Key Community Care brings together a network of more than 220 independent Key primary care physicians with a leading health system and another 250 primary and specialty care providers from WakeMed Physician Practices. The partnership is designed to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time at the right level, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors. WakeMed Key Community Care received approval as a Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO in December 2013. It is a limited liability company in which WakeMed Health & Hospitals and Key Physicians are members. For more information, visit www.wakemedkeycc.org.
About BCBSNC:
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is a leader in delivering innovative health care products, services and information to more than 3.84 million members, including approximately 1 million served on behalf of other Blue Plans. Since 1933, the company has served its customers by offering health insurance at a competitive price and has served the people of North Carolina through support of community organizations, programs and events that promote good health. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina was recognized as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere Institute in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Visit BCBSNC online at bcbsnc.com. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.
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