Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Independence Blue Cross and Premier Orthopaedics sign new 5-year deal
Independence Blue Cross and Premier Orthopaedics — a full-service physician owned orthopedic practice in Chester and Delaware counties — have announced that they have signed a new five-year agreement.
The new agreement makes Premier a participant in Independence’s Facilitated Health Networks (FHN) model — a collaborative approach focused on bringing health insurers, hospitals, and doctors together to improve the quality and lower the costs of healthcare in the region, according to a press release.
Under the Facilitated Health Networks model, Premier has agreed to implement site of service and episodes of care programs that put its physicians in charge of an entire episode of care. This helps to ensure that
appropriate diagnostic tests are completed, procedures are performed in the most appropriate setting and that all follow up care results in an optimal outcome.
“This type of arrangement helps keep healthcare costs down and provides members the highest quality care with their doctors highly engaged in the process,” the release states.
“We are very excited about the agreement and to be able to work with Premier in a new way that will help strengthen our commitment to ensuring members receive high-quality care at the right place and at the right price,” Anthony V. Coletta, MD, president of Facilitated Health
Networks at Independence said in the release.
Matt O’Malley, Premier’s chief executive officer said Premier’s participation in the FHN model is a ‘natural evolution’ of the organization’s relationship with the insurer.
“It exemplifies our commitment to our patients and will allow our physicians and therapists to provide them with the most efficient, comprehensive, and highest quality musculoskeletal care available in our area,” he said.
For more information about Premier Orthopaedics visit premierortho. com .
For more information about Independence Blue Cross visit www.ibx.com. Email business story ideas to business editor/ writer drovins@21stcenturymedia.com.