Overview of our Practice Transformation Project

A new national initiative aims to support physician practices to move toward a pay-for-value health care system. The Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services' (CMS) Innovation Center is creating Practice Transformation Networks (PTN): On-the-ground technical assistance to help primary and specialty care practices achieve the Triple Aim and thrive in the pay-for-value environment.

The Radius PTN brings together highly successful Regional Extension Centers (RECs), Quality Innovation Network Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs) and Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives (RHICs), to efficiently and effectively assist practices in data-driven transformation while creating PTN services embedded in local stakeholder communities. This approach will build a strong foundation to maximize alignment and sustainability, increase connection between providers of care and community support systems, and help influence widespread adoption of payment reform. Together we submitted an application to become a PTN.

If successful, Radius will provide no-cost support to primary care and specialty clinicians who want to use their health information technology to improve efficiency in their practice and to provide better coordination of care for their patients. We will help clinicians transform their practices and position them to thrive under new payment models and meet quantifiable improvement outcomes through use of data, joint learning opportunities and directly assisting practices. Finally, we will connect participating practices with peers who are successful clinical transformation leaders.

Who is Radius: While Radius is a new partnership, Radius partners have over 40 years of experience assisting front-line providers and engaging health care stakeholders. Our services improve outcomes and deliver measurable results that directly influence the care delivered to millions of people. The Radius partnership includes:

• HealthInsight in Nevada, New Mexico and Utah (applicant organization) along with the Nevada and Utah Partnerships for Value and the New Mexico Coalition for Healthcare Quality
• Kansas Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC) in Kansas along with the Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium (KCQIC)
• MetaStar in Wisconsin along with the Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) and the Wisconsin Collaborative for Healthcare Quality (WCHQ)
• Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative (PRHI) in Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia along with Quality Insights and PASpread
• Stratis Health in Minnesota and North Dakota along with the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) and Minnesota Community Measures (MCM).

We are also partnering with primary care associations through most of our states who will help administer Radius PTN services adapted to best meet the needs of their members including federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and rural and tribal health centers.

Radius has also engaged Aledade, Inc., specialists in alignment with federal initiatives who will supply expertise on analytic strategies and methods to prepare practices for alternative payment models to augment our existing skills and abilities.

Working jointly, we will serve 13,000 providers to achieve the highest level of impact on quality and cost for the invested resources. Each entity brings deep existing connections with providers and stakeholders to assist in recruitment and alignment with other initiatives. The Radius partners have a long history of collaboration and implementation and use, health care system redesign, transparency and public reporting, and as conveners of multi-stakeholder improvement collaboratives, we are well positioned to serve as a PTN.

The transition to a reimbursement system that rewards value versus volume is inevitable. Together, we can be a part of leading and creating positive change for the entire health care system.

Working jointly, we will serve 13,000 providers across 19% of the US geography that has 11% of the country's Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries.

Aledade and Kansas Foundation for Medical Care in the news:

Clinical Innovation + Technology
Kansas Health Institute
Topeka Capital Journal