IMPROVING HEALTH THROUGH PERSONALIZED CARE MANAGEMENT
Alternative Payment Models Support Care Management Services for Patients Living with Multiple Chronic Conditions
Value-based care models pay hospitals and providers, in part, on quality and outcomes of care. These models help healthcare organizations like Kootenai Care Network in Idaho provide patients living with multiple chronic conditions with a personalized care manager, who coordinates care and manages treatments.
For healthcare providers nationwide, these critical services are only made possible through Medicare’s Alternative Payment Model (APM) program.
Don’s story:
Don lives with diabetes and coronary artery disease, along with other increased risk factors for poor health outcomes. Don’s wife Evelyn, who serves as his caregiver, began to feel overwhelmed–that’s when she reached out to Kootenai Care Network to bring in a coordinated care manager to assist with caregiving.
Thanks to Lynne, Don’s care manager, Don’s health and well-being improved, and he is able to help out around the house, while Evelyn feels a greater sense of support and ability to care for Don.
Lynne helps coordinate Don’s care, medication and symptom management; coordinate with other practitioners to improve care delivery; and educate Don and Evelyn on how to best manage his conditions.
Evelyn believes that Don’s new outlook on life would not have been possible without the support and work of his coordinated care manager.
Because value-based care focuses on outcomes, healthcare organizations like Kootenai use the incentive payments to provide patients with personalized and coordinated care management. It helps both patients and caregivers improve health outcomes as well as quality of life. Without Congress’ support for value-based models, patients like Don may not get the support or care they need.
This patient story has been de-identified to protect patient privacy consistent with HIPAA – no real patient names are referenced, while the experience described reflects actual events.