Page 10 - Delaware Medical Journal - March 2018
P. 10
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
The success of the PCMH collaboration was followed by discussions with BCBSD that led to the development Organization (ACO) in 2014. However, with the acquisition of BCBSD by Highmark, the progress made in Delaware was marginalized. This ultimately led to the termination of MedNet’s relationship with Highmark.
However, both MedNet and the ACO structure that was created remained intact with ongoing negotiations. This led to an aggressive search for a population health technology platform to replace what was no longer available through Highmark. The MedNet Board, led by Michael J. Bradley, DO and then Executive Director Mark Meister, did its due diligence in evaluating population health technology required for continued success. By way of introduction through LabCorp, HealthEC process, HealthEC was selected as the technology vendor for MedNet.
HealthEC is a nationally recognized leader in population health management
with state-of-the-art technology that will fully integrate with physicians’ existing EMRs. This will allow for greater utilization of health care resources.
In turn, this will also allow MedNet physicians to successfully participate in value-based contracting with insurers and others in both the private and public sectors, including Medicare and Medicaid.
The independent practice model is the foundation of medicine. However, this model has been and remains under great pressure because of factors we’re all familiar with, such as IT requirements, the increasing administrative burden associated with reporting and, of course, decreasing reimbursement associated with providing care. The MedNet/ HealthEC partnership brings tremendous resources to the physician members of the four POs, which will strengthen the independent practice model to remain as a viable option for the delivery of care for our patients. It will also bring MedNet “back to the future” and the mission that was envisioned when it was established so many years ago of “Enabling
Physicians to Lead — Empowering Physicians to Serve.”
MedNet and HealthEC will have townhall meetings across the state to formally introduce this new partnership. I would encourage you to attend and learn about the possibilities of this new partnership.
If you would like more information
about the MedNet/HealthEC partnership and townhall meetings, please contact Michelle Seymour at michelle.seymour@ more information about HealthEC, their website is HealthEC.com.
Special thanks to Mark Meister for information he provided regarding the history of MedNet.
Richard W. Henderson, MD
President, Medical Society of Delaware
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Del Med J | March 2018 | Vol. 90 | No. 3
