The bond between a patient and their primary care provider is crucial for achieving the best health care results.
Patient-provider relationships are vital: ©SydaProductions - stock.adobe.com
The bond between a patient and their primary care provider (PCP) is crucial for achieving the best health care results.
An analysis from Arcadia found that the top quartile of Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) has a 29% higher rate of PCP visits compared to organizations with lower performance. A separate analysis looked at patients with a low or no PCP relationship and found that they have less consistent management and documentation of chronic conditions and lower quality gap closure rates. Additionally, patients with a single provider relationship have an average of 22% lower rates of emergency department visits, including avoidable visits, compared to patients with multiple provider relationships.
The data is clear: a strong relationship between a single patient and a single provider improves utilization, risk and quality gap closure, and cost efficiency. Strong PCP engagement also improves patient outcomes while strengthening the performance of health systems.
Health care organizations that want to maximize performance and bend the cost curve must answer several key questions: How do you drive impactful patient-provider relationships? How do you identify impactable patients or providers and effectively engage them?
The answer lies in data analytics.
How strong patient-provider relationships bend the cost curve
Often, primary care physicians serve as a “bridge” between a patient and their entire care team, by keeping a finger on the pulse of their patients’ health and ensuring that patients get the care they need. Strengthening patients’ relationships with a PCP helps value-based care organizations by:
Supporting patients in engaging with their care plans, thereby boosting long-term health outcomes
Three ways to build stronger patient-provider relationships with data analytics
Patients, Providers, and Data: Strength in Partnership
The data is clear: strong patient-provider relationships are essential for better health outcomes and managing healthcare costs. By using data analytics and outreach tools, health care organizations can identify and engage patients with weak PCP relationships, ensuring they get continuous, coordinated care. Acting on information can help health care organizations drive better provider performance, increase patient satisfaction, and lower costs. The path to better health care starts with fostering a relationship between two individuals — and millions of data points let you take the first step.
Anna Basevich is senior vice president, Enterprise Partnerships and Customer Enablement, at Arcadia.