Insights Magazine Volume IX | Page 15
• Quality metrics (measures and reliability
of data)
• Bed capacity
• Geographic coverage (to support
patient preference)
• Skill set (services, staffing, equipment
and clinical capability)
• Like-minded, flexible leadership
operating a stable provider
Benefits and Challenges of a
Narrow Network
When successfully created and
implemented, the contracted Narrow
Network will, by design, reduce the number
of SNFs the hospital will be working with
and increase the number of referrals
to those providers. A successful Post-
Acute Narrow Network should reduce
the instability of a fragmented post-acute
market, reduce cost through lowering
lengths of stay and re-admissions, enhance
operational efficiencies and quality, and
provide a better patient experience,
including better outcomes.
However, even though a Post-Acute Narrow
Network is a strong strategic option, many
Post-Acute Narrow Networks fail. That is
because the acute providers and payors
have really only reduced the number of
providers they work with, while doing little
to connect the Narrow Network providers
to enable the continual monitoring and
improvement of care and implementation
of best practices throughout the Narrow
Network.
Additionally, the acute providers and payors
typically are contracting with and managing
all of the providers within the Narrow
Network separately, which is inefficient and,
many times, ineffective. By the time quality
metrics and other data requirements are
made available from the individual Narrow
Network participants to the acute providers
Learn about Value
Network Solutions© at
valuenetworksolutions.com
and payors, the information is often old and
cannot be used for truly effective real-time
management.
The Optimal Solution – Evolve into a
Post-Acute Value Network ©
To be truly optimal, a Narrow Network must
evolve into a Post-Acute Value Network©.
A successful Value Network organizes the
post-acute providers through an innovative,
standardized IT-based solution that is
designed specifically for the operations
of post-acute providers and, in particular,
SNFs. This IT solution should be mandated
for use by all the SNFs within the Value
Network, creating a common platform
of monitoring, quality improvement and
enhanced care. It should not replace a
SNF’s medical record system, but instead
be an overlay, so as to not interfere with
a SNF’s operating platform and related
operations and be able to work with a
multitude of providers that may have
disparate systems.
Measuring Four Key Functions of a
Patient’s Stay
The IT solution should, at a minimum, focus
on four key functions of a patient’s stay:
1. Admission: The hospital discharge
and SNF admission process is one
of the most inefficient and manual
components of a patient’s care and
experience. From the SNF selection
Ron Present
CNHA, CALA, FACHCA
Partner,
Health Care Industry
Group Leader
Brown Smith Wallace
314.983.1358
[email protected]
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