Blue Cross, DaVita forge Philly link on primary care

A new joint venture between Independence Blue Cross and DaVita HealthCare Partners aims to improve primary care and lower costs in Philadelphia by providing data, resources and financial incentives to doctors to help them take better care of patients with chronic diseases.

The primary-care physicians in the Independence Blue Cross network who opt into the venture, which is called Tandigm Health, will have access to care technology developed by DaVita HealthCare Partners, which operates medical groups in five states. They will also receive data, additional support and resources for patients to receive care outside of the doctor’s office to keep more of these patients out of the hospital.

In exchange for their participation in Tandigm Health, physicians will receive financial incentives for improving care quality. Independence Blue Cross expects to see costs go down as the quantity of care diminishes. During a call with reporters, executives declined to outline the planned physician financial incentives.

“Tandigm Health will reward doctors for the quality of care they provide, not the quantity of care,” said Dr. Craig Samitt, president and CEO of HealthCare Partners. “This creates an incentive system based on improving quality and lowering costs that benefits everyone: patients, doctors, hospitals and the community.”