Getting Prepared to Thrive in MIPS

The shift to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is underway and like everyone involved in the delivery of cancer care, our team here at Navigating Cancer is digging into the new payment system to identify ways we can help providers continue to improve the care they deliver while succeeding in the new model.

During this transition year there are a variety of options regarding reporting performance to avoid the negative adjustment. And at many of the conferences and meetings we have attended in the past few months we heard that many providers are looking at this year as a time figure out how to collect necessary data, test out new care delivery tools, identify gaps and get ready for 2018 when the stakes get higher – both financially and professionally. With the right systems in place, however, 2017 can be more than a transition year.

As you prepare for MIPS, remember that a patient relationship management platform like Navigating Care can help you now and in preparation for the future. If you are using Patient Link you are already set for this year’s reporting requirement. And while the cost of care doesn’t play a role in your score this year, it becomes an increasingly important factor for your score in the coming years. Our platform will help you know where you are today and where you need to go. In order to be positioned to get the highest score possible you will need to be delivering connected and coordinated care and that is possible only with a combination of a great care team and a technology solution.

Oncology-Specific Patient Relationship Management Can Help

  1. Patient and provider satisfaction. Because our platform is oncology-specific, it’s tailored specifically with your patients in mind and it nurtures the patient/provider experience and it enables you to automate many important tasks so nothing gets missed. When patients can access information diagnosis and treatment plan or communicate with their care team when they have concern or question and in return they get the help they need, they feel more cared for and become more engaged. With patient engagement, medication adherence improves, proactive care can be more easily delivered, costs come down and your MIPS score goes up.
  2. Higher performance for ACI measures. Most clinics are likely meeting the five required ACI objectives already and an additional four objectives will allow you to maximize your performance score. If your clinic uses Navigating Care, you’re in good shape. Our PRM platform fulfills the several of the bonus items including secure messaging; patient education; and view, download and transmit – ensuring you are positioned to receive the best possible score.
  3. Insights into how you’re doing along the way. MIPS is going to be an ongoing effort in improvement. You will be compared against your historical performance as well as your national peers. The weight on each category can vary from year to year.  That means you’re dealing with a moving target. Navigating Care’s reporting capabilities allow you to get data down to the practice and provider level and run reports anytime so you always have a good sense of how you’re doing. When you know what’s going on, you’ll be better equipped to make adjustments as necessary.
  4. Tools to deliver high quality care at a lower cost. Navigating Care combines powerful telehealth and remote monitoring capabilities so you know right away if a patient needs help. Patients are automatically prompted to report if they are experiencing any symptoms or issues with a medication and that information is relayed to the care team. The patient isn’t left to decide if they should call the doctor, the care team determines the best intervention. That means they can get ahead of issues and deliver care immediately – before hospitalization is necessary.

No matter where you are on the path to value-based care, we can help.

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