HCTTF Helps Providers Find Value-Based Purchasing Partnerships

February 19, 2019 - A new open-sourced tool from the Health Care Transformation Task Force (HCTTF) is helping providers and payers assess value-based purchasing partnerships.

The Partnership Evaluation Tool is a new resource that allows healthcare stakeholders to evaluate a potential partner’s core value-based care competencies. The tool, which is available for free download on HCTTF’s website, also doubles as a self-assessment tools for providers, payers, and purchasers.

“We regularly assess potential provider partners for advanced risk arrangements, and many characteristics important to the success of those partnerships aren’t typical to a standard partnership valuation,” Brigitte Nettesheim, President of Joint Venture Market Operations for Aetna and Co-Chair of HCTTF’s Path to Transformation Advisory Group, stated in a press release.

“This tool helps to facilitate a more comprehensive assessment about a potential partner’s demonstrated commitment to value and willingness to collaborate while identifying priority areas for deeper focus over time.”

The healthcare industry is steadily engaging in value-based arrangements. The Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network (LAN) recently reported that 34 percent of healthcare payments made in 2017 were tied to shared risk, bundled payments, or some other alternative payment model.

HCTTF also recently announced that major providers and payers in its organization have almost one-half of their business already in value-based purchasing arrangements. The organizations included Aledade, Atrius Health, Geisinger, Ascension, Partners HealthCare, and the Cleveland Clinic. Aetna, Anthem, and several Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations.

As stakeholders continue to shift away from fee-for-service, value-based purchasing partnerships will become increasingly important.

Value-based purchasing requires stakeholders to form closer relationships with providers across the care continuum, as well as the industry. The partnerships enable enhanced care coordination, data sharing, and other core competencies for value-based care and payment.

With the Partnership Evaluation Tool, stakeholders can now identify the most appropriate payer, provider, or purchaser for a value-based purchasing endeavor.

For example, a provider looking to enter a value-based contract with a local payer can use the tool to evaluate the payer’s readiness to collaborate on an alternative payment model.

The provider can open the tool, which is in the form of an Excel spreadsheet, and select the payer organization evaluation tab. From there, the tool allows the provider to evaluate the payer’s general value-based purchasing competencies.

“An ideal partner should be transparent, have a robust governance structure and organizational culture, be willing to partner and invest across key areas, and perhaps most importantly, demonstrate trustworthiness and commitment to the goals of consumer-centered, value-based care,” the tool’s user guide states.

The provider and purchaser organization evaluations will also conduct a general value-based purchasing assessment.

Next, providers can also identify payer-specific value-based purchasing capabilities. For example, the tool will assess a payer’s willingness to change economic models and invest in appropriate supporting infrastructure, as well as the payer’s ability and commitment to share data.

Once providers input the information into the tool, the tool will develop a composite score for the potential partner. Providers can use the score to determine if a specific payer is ready to engage in a value-based purchasing arrangement. They can also use the score to present partnership opportunities to leadership.

Stakeholders should also use the tool to regularly assess their value-based purchasing partnerships. In fact, the HCTTF encourages stakeholders to conduct regular evaluations of their partnerships to ensure value-based purchasing arrangements are continually improving outcomes and/or reducing costs.

The Task Force also points out that stakeholders can easily tailor the Partnership Evaluation Tool to benefit their value-based purchasing partnership needs. The Partnership Evaluation Tool allows stakeholders to set their own priorities for value-based purchasing models, so they know they are choosing the most appropriate partner for their specific value-based model.

“We’re excited to release this tool in an open-source format that allows for easy customization by users based on desired priorities and market factors,” stated Jeff Micklos, HCTTF Executive Director. “Organizations can benefit from the expertise of Task Force members who informed the tool development based on their direct experience with evaluating the readiness of new value partners.”