22 Apr CMS innovator: New models are changing healthcare
Innovation is driving a significant amount of change in the healthcare industry, Patrick Conway, Deputy Administrator for Innovation and Quality and Chief Medical Officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said on Tuesday, putting the onus on providers to take action or fall behind.
“We are shifting the culture of how people think about healthcare investments, in a good way,” Conway said during a HIMSS15 discussion on the results of CMS innovation programs.
According to Conway, CMS programs that focus on alternative payment models such as accountable care organizations, which currently serve eight million people, and population health are moving a fragmented system tied to fee-for-service into a future where costs are controlled and care is improved.
“We’re trying to use a number of levers to get there,” he said, which include programs such as meaningful use and the Medicare Shared Savings accountable care model.
For example, Conway said the Pioneer ACO model showed more that $384 million in savings in the second year, while comprehensive primary care initiatives are leading physician practices to operate in new ways.
Even safety measures dictated by CMS have seen good results, Conway said. The industry has seen a 17 percent reduction in patient-harm events from 2010 to 2013, saving $12 billion.
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