AMGA, physician group announce national collaboration to improve value-based care

A new partnership aims to strengthen accountable care models in health care practices around the country.

AMGA, the American Medical Group Association, and Wilmington Health announced a partnership to start the AMGA Value Care Network. It is a new strategic initiative and collaboration to “deliver scalable solutions that empower AMGA member organizations to thrive in value-based care environments.”

“We are excited to be joining forces with Wilmington Health to deliver cutting-edge, value-based care solutions to our member organizations,” AMGA President and CEO Jerry Penso, MD, said in the organizations’ official announcement. “This initiative marks a bold step forward in supporting patients across the nation in affordable, exemplary care.”

Founded in 1971, Wilmington Health is a physician-owned primary care and multispecialty medical practice serving Wilmington, North Carolina, and its environs. The practice’s goal is to provide a comprehensive, coordinated, and collaborative approach to health care, using evidence-based medicine to achieve the highest quality care possible to its patients, according to Wilmington Health’s official description online.

Wilmington Health will add its operational expertise and track record to the AMGA Value Care Network. The goals are to help medical groups and health systems implement proven strategies, improve patient outcomes, and enhance financial performance under ACO models, according to the organizations’ announcement.

“We are thrilled to partner with the American Medical Group Association in launching the AMGA Value Care Network,” Wilmington Health CEO Jeff James said in the announcement. “This initiative represents our shared mission to transform the health care delivery system across the country.

“By leveraging data-driven resources and a collaborative approach, we aim to empower AMGA members nationwide to succeed in value-based care models, ultimately reducing the cost of care to the health care system, while enhancing patient outcomes and engagement,” James said.

Wilmington Health’s website includes an explanation about value-based care and its decade-plus effort to become a high-performance health system. The current priority is to understand how changes can affect the total cost of care.

The organization is committed to transparency to patients on cost and quality of health care. A goal is to use an analytic team to proactively identify high-risk patients to deliver care at the right time and setting. Examples include Wilmington Health’s Today’s Care Clinics to avoid emergency department visits. Wilmington Health also has patient resources such as chronic care management, emergency visit avoidance and diabetic education programs.

Wilmington Health also participates in the Medicare Direct Contracting Program and in quality arrangements with commercial and Medicare Advantage payers, including Humana, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna and United Healthcare, according to the company.

AMGA announced the partnership this month during its annual conference.