Priority Health Recognizes Hundreds of Michigan Health Care Practices Through Annual Quality Awards
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This month, Priority Health is announcing its 2016 Quality Award
recipients. This annual award recognizes Priority Health’s network
doctors and health care practices for their partnership in improving
health care outcomes in Michigan.
To provide its members with the greatest access to exceptional patient
care and raise the state’s overall health care standards, Priority
Health works closely with physicians and practices to improve health
outcomes, lower the cost of care and help engage members in their own
health. While Priority Health’s physician network earned exceptional
scores overall, the Quality Awards annually recognize the top performers.
The Priority Health Quality Awards are given to practices that achieve
the highest overall scores in preventive care and chronic disease
measures through the Priority Health Primary Care Provider Incentive
Program. The program tracks clinical quality measures against national
standards and evidence-based medicine.
Priority Health sets high targets on 25 measures like cancer screenings
depression screenings, immunizations and chronic condition management.
By collaborating with physicians, Priority Health has successfully
helped health plan members avoid the incidence of chronic disease
complications for conditions such as congestive heart failure, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, asthma and
hypertension at rates better than state and national averages. This year
176 of Priority Health’s network practices were recognized for
excellence statewide.
“At Priority Health, our approach is to improve the quality, access and
affordability of care for our members,” said Joan Budden, president and
CEO of Priority Health. “Year after year we see proven results of this
program with improved health outcomes, lower cost of care and higher
satisfaction of our members.”
In 2015 practices saw a marked increase in earnings in recognition of
their work to adopt care transformation strategies; specifically –
primary care medical home (PCMH) designation as well as care management.
The growth rate in practices offering point-of-care care management
services is up nearly 170 percent from a year ago, which means patients
with complex care needs have access to a full care team and
individualized treatment plans.
Priority Health invests in practices to help develop the quality
initiatives and infrastructure required to support the transformation of
care and it is working. The total dollars earned by practices increased
24 percent, to over $28 million this year, compared to last. Priority
Health sets high targets, with practices needing to meet or exceed the
national 90th percentile in order to qualify for incentive
awards.
Over 12 years, Priority Health has awarded more than $225 million over
and above standard payment of services to practices that have
demonstrated outstanding care quality. What started with recognition of
fewer than 30 practices in 2003, the Quality Awards program has now
evolved to celebrating hundreds of practices across the state for
achievement of the highest levels of care.
The full list of recipients of the 2016 Priority Health Quality Awards
can be viewed here.
About Priority Health:
Priority Health is an award-winning, Michigan-based non-profit health
plan nationally recognized for improving the health and lives of the
people it serves. It continues to lead the industry in engaging members
in their health, delivering effective health and disease management
programs and working with physicians to improve health care outcomes and
performance. Priority Health is one of only 20 health plans nationwide
offering wellness programs accredited by the National Committee for
Quality Assurance, an organization which also rated it among the best
health plans in the nation. The State of Michigan named the Priority
Health HMO the benchmark plan for all individual and group HMO plans to
model.
Priority Health offers a broad portfolio of health benefit options for
employer groups and individuals, including Medicare and Medicaid plans.
Its network of health care providers features 95 percent of practicing
physicians available in Michigan and more than 900,000 health care
providers nationwide.
Contacts
Priority Health
Amy Miller, (616) 464-8571
