WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Saint Francis Healthcare is partnering with the Medical Society of Delaware’s (MSD) subsidiary, MedNet, to form the accountable care organization (ACO), Delaware Care Collaboration™. Launching on January 1, 2016, this ACO brings two of Delaware’s leaders in health care together to improve the way care is provided for Medicare patients across the state. This collaboration between a trusted and respected health system well-known for personal, comprehensive care and the state’s largest and most prominent physician organization, and MedNet, will improve the patient experience while providing access to high-value medical care through a coordinated, patient-centered approach. To date, 22 physicians have enrolled in the ACO.
“The way health care is provided and paid for is changing across the nation. Through this partnership with a proven and experienced team in the Medical Society of Delaware, our health system will help to shape the future here in Delaware,” says Brian E. Dietz, FACHE, president and CEO of Saint Francis Healthcare. Saint Francis Healthcare is a part of Trinity Health, which is a national leader with 27 ACOs in 20 markets across the nation.
Established by the Affordable Care Act in 2012, ACOs are groups of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers who come together voluntarily to provide coordinated care to Medicare patients. More than 7 million Medicare beneficiaries currently receive care from doctors enrolled in ACOs across the country.
Delaware Care Collaboration, a physician-driven ACO, will become the second physician-led statewide ACO in Delaware with the first being MedNet’s existing Highmark Quality Blue ACO commercial program. The new ACO will be formed under Medicare’s Shared Savings Program (MSSP), which rewards ACOs that reduce health care costs while meeting quality performance standards. Primary care physicians who are either employed or in private practice in Delaware can join Delaware Care Collaboration.
“The goal is for patients, especially those who are chronically ill, to get the right care at the right time, while avoiding duplicated services and preventing medical errors,” says Michael Bradley, DO, family medicine physician in Dover, Delaware and president, MedNet of Delaware. “This partnership will improve outcomes and the overall patient experience.”
Unlike many ACOs, Delaware Care Collaboration will not require any financial investment by participating physicians. Delaware Care Collaborative will provide practices with the infrastructure to support the ACO. This includes providing physicians with transition assistance, navigation and care coordination services, sophisticated and meaningful analytics, and hands-on educational support. It will not mandate changes to physicians’ existing referral patterns. If quality benchmarks are met, participating physicians can also share in up to 50 percent of any cost savings earned with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Participation agreements will be accepted from physicians statewide until July 31, 2015. Delaware Care Collaboration will complete all required steps on the practices’ behalf for approval of the ACO by CMS. For more information, physicians can contact Lori Ann Rhoads, Director of Physician Relations and Health System Innovation, MSD, at 302-224-5196 or LoriAnn.Rhoads@medsocdel.org.
About Saint Francis Healthcare
Saint Francis Healthcare, a part of Trinity Health, operates Delaware’s only Catholic hospital serving Wilmington and Northern New Castle County since 1924. Services provided include Partners in CardioVascular Health and Cardiovascular Services , 24-hour Emergency Services, Ambulance Service, Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, the da Vinci™ Surgical System, Gastroenterology Services, Hematology-Oncology Services, Minimally Invasive Surgery Center, Advanced Wound Center, Imaging Services, Sleep/Neurodiagnostics Center, Home Care, Outpatient Physical Therapy, Comprehensive Women’s Health Services and three community outreach programs. Saint Francis Healthcare is affiliated with the Saint Francis Foundation and Saint Francis LIFE (Living Independently for Elders), a PACE (Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) model.
About Medical Society of Delaware
The Medical Society of Delaware is one of the oldest institutions of its kind in the United States and rich in history. Founded in 1776 and incorporated on February 3, 1789, The Medical Society of Delaware continues its support of physicians in their vigor and spirit to advance the profession, which was the basis for its creation. Our Mission is “To guide, serve and support Delaware Physicians, promoting the practice and profession of medicine to enhance the health of our communities.”
About MedNet
MedNet was developed in 1995 when the Medical Society recognized a need to evaluate managed care and its potential impact in Delaware. Today, MedNet provides administrative services, such as contract management, and practice support to approximately 800 physicians that are part of one of the four physician organizations in Delaware. MedNet is also positioned to assist physicians in taking advantage of opportunities presented by the changing health care delivery landscape. As a result, MedNet played a significant role in the first state-wide Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) initiative and serves as the management services organization that supports integrated delivery systems, such as Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).
