Medical Doctors getting PAID –to refer to CHIROPRACTORS?…… Are you serious?
Applying this “angle” while discussing the rationale to include my services as a chiropractor with the local medical community was never on my radar until recently. However, the landscape has changed drastically with the introduction of the “Patient Centered Medical Home” model ! Chiropractors have an amazing opportunity right now to expose their local medical communities to the benefits of efficacious cost effective chiropractic care. By integrating chiropractic into “medical management” patient care, “Medical Homes” (PCP groups) will better be able to meet the criteria and goals of the “Patient Centered Medical Home” model that is being implemented across the country- as we speak! But here’s where the rubber meets the road people! PCPs will be paid based partly on their effective management (cost effective efficacious managment) of their PERSONAL patient populations “they are responsible for”!! It is the formation of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that are arising out of the groupings of “Medical Homes” that will drive these referrals to DCs! (This is hapening now… as in…NOW.) You must understand that DCs will be reaping referrals from this process BUT ONLY if you have POSITIONED yourself to be the “The GO-TO DC” for these goups! (It’s either you or the DC down the street – your choice!)
Those goals of Accountable Care Organizations include: better access, better outcomes, cost effectiveness, and increased patient satisfaction.
Patient Centered Medical Home medical practices (Accountable Care Organizations) will strive to maintain open communication among patients and members of a comprehensive team of health care providers.
The “team” may include all sorts of health care providers that will bring forth efficacy in treatment protocols combined with cost effectiveness so as to ensure eligibility of the medical home to receive payouts allotted to the Medical Homes that achieve such efficiency.
Enhanced payments to PCMHs are based on the expectation
that medical homes will route their patients to the most cost effective and efficacious practicioners – per condition! (How well do you know the closest 50 MDs to your practice??)
There are no identical PCMH payment models, however, they are designed to incentivize PCPs to improve outcomes and decrease total costs to patients. This is where Chiropractors have an excellent opportunity to serve as an integral part of the team.
Recent federal legislation that connect Chiropractic to the PCMH delivery model:
1. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
Signed into law by President Obama in March 2010, the PPACA includes legislation on the PCMH and the interdisciplinary teams of health care professionals that are eligible to be included. Section 3502 ACA.
- The primary care teams eligible for capitated payments may include: medical specialists, nurses, pharmacists, nutritionalists, dieticians, social workers, behavioral and mental health providers, Doctors of Chiropractic, licensed complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and physician assistants.
We are going to capitalize on this window of opportunity, and train you to enter your local medical groups and detail how you are an essential team member. Your “window of opportunity” will be opened wide! October 31st 2011 – As I just finished typing this, I count 35 referrals this month from local MDs. I know what I’m doing with my chance to make a difference.
What are you going to do with this opportunity?
Mike Schmitt, DC
For further details related to the Patient Centered Medical Home, go to:
http://www.ncqa.org/tabid/631/Default.aspx
http://www.pcpcc.nt/pcpcc.pilot.projects
https://www.cms.gov/Demo-Projects.EvalRpts/downloads/mapcpdemo_QA.pdf