As medical technologies like electronic health records become more available, providers are increasingly using them to change the way they deliver care, often focusing on incorporating more efficient strategies while improving patient outcomes.
For example, a group of insurers in New York recently formed a large network to provide doctors with incentives for operating as patient centered medical homes. In this model of care, teams of doctors from various specializations collaborate with each other to ensure through the use of electronic health records and other technology to ensure that patients receive optimal care.
Under the New York Plan, Aetna, CDPHP, Hudson Health Plan, MVP Health Care, UnitedHealthcare and Empire BlueCross Blue Shield will work together to provide $1.5 million to 236 doctors in the region. The goal is to provide better care at lower cost.
"The process of becoming a medical home transforms the practice so it can fully utilize the tools of an electronic [health] record and align the goals of the practice with the patients to improve the quality of care that the patient receives," said Mark Foster, chairman of the network's board.