What's behind the success of the most efficient medical community in the nation?

The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care recently identified Grand Junction, Colo., as one of the most efficient medical communities in the nation (see our previous post on this topic). Its average Medicare spending per capita was $5,900 in 2006, about 30 percent lower than the national average of $8,300, while its quality ratings were much higher. A new report sheds light on why this medical community has been so successful and cites factors such as a local health plan that shares valid, individualized performance data with physicians and provides financial incentives for achieving quality and efficiency targets; cooperation between primary care physicians and specialist physicians; effective charity care and hospice programs; a community-wide EHR system paid for by the local IPA and HMO; fewer hospital beds and employees than the national average; and more primary care physicians than the national average. The report concludes with this:

"Primary care is the core of any high performance health system. Throughout a patient’s life, primary care physicians in Grand Junction are involved in all levels of treatment. Continuity and collaboration between primary care physicians, specialists, and other members of care teams leads to higher-quality care, better outcomes, and lower costs. Most importantly, team-based care refocuses the delivery system on the patient, not on the provider. Nevertheless, Grand Junction’s leaders are concerned by the extreme shortage of new primary care physicians entering the workforce. Primary care plays a central role in every collaborative, high-quality, and efficient health system. Thus, we must support primary care expansion within reform legislation, not as an afterthought. Without increased support for primary care, the miracle of Grand Junction’s health system could prove to be but an inspirational memory."

Posted at 10:30AM Sep 03, 2009 by Brandi White  |  Comments[0]