Obama Remarks Signal Switch to Quality-Based Payments

Phytel Solutions Help Physician Groups Improve Quality of Care, Maximize Reimbursement

Phytel Inc. (www.phytel.com), the nation’s premier company empowering physician-led health improvement, announced today that it is offering physician groups many of the tools that they need to thrive under the new reimbursement approach proposed by President Obama at his news conference on March 24, 2009.

To control health costs, the President recommended that the nation invest in health information technologies, preventive care, and “mechanisms that look at who’s doing a better job controlling costs while producing good-quality outcomes in various states … Let’s reimburse on the basis of improved quality as opposed to simply how many procedures you’re doing.”

“Physicians should prepare for the coming changes in payment reform, and those that get ready today will enjoy the benefits,” states Steve Schelhammer, CEO of Phytel. “Our Proactive Patient Outreach Solution provides medical practices with the technology to implement quality standards both inside and outside their practice walls, and connect with patients who are in need for recommended care.”

Schelhammer also cited the recommendations of experts who advise that Medicare begin paying doctors on the basis of performance, rather than only for the amount of care or the number of procedures that they provide. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has conducted a demonstration of pay-for-performance for large group practices, and physicians are reporting quality data to CMS’ Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

“When the President himself specifies that this will be the direction of a federal reimbursement policy, it is the strongest signal to date that new opportunities that reward health improvement are unfolding,” said Schelhammer.

Phytel is helping practices nationwide to improve their quality of care, with technology solutions that help physicians deliver timely, coordinated care to patients while meeting the performance standards that the government and private payers will require for maximum reimbursement.

Phytel’s Proactive Patient Outreach Solution combines an electronic registry based upon nationally recognized protocols with automated messaging to patients who need services. By utilizing this service, physicians increase the percentage of their patients who access evidence-based preventive and chronic care. They can also qualify for pay-for-performance rewards, PQRI incentives, and NCQA recognition as medical homes.

Phytel customers that have improved quality include:
Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee, WI: Reached 12,500 patients in need of care in less than 90 days, increasing patient access, improving compliance with care plans, and assisting the group in meeting quality measures.
Prevea Health, Green Bay, WI: Cut non-compliance by half within 6 months for several chronic care conditions, while producing over $1 million in additional revenue.
Family Medicine, Geriatrics and Wellness, Lower Gwynedd, PA: Used Phytel’s registry and care management solutions to help achieve NCQA level 3 recognition — the highest level of Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCC-PCMH™) certification.

“President Obama’s call for physicians signals a growing emphasis on quality improvement and health outcomes,” Schelhammer concluded.

About Phytel

Phytel is the premier company empowering physician-led health improvement. Phytel provides physicians with proven technology to deliver timely, coordinated care to their patients. Phytel’s state-of-the-art registry, which now encompasses 15 million patients nationwide, uses evidence-based chronic and preventive care protocols to identify and notify patients due for service, while tracking compliance and measuring quality and financial results. For more information, please visit www.phytel.com.

Contacts

CPR for Phytel
Jim Stroh, 201-641-1911 x18
jstroh {at} cpronline(.)com