Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO of Independence; Dr. Anthony V. Coletta, president of Independence’s Facilitated Health Networks; Dr. Alexander R. Vaccaro, president of Rothman Institute; Dr. Richard H. Rothman, founder of Rothman Institute; and Mike West, CEO of Rothman Institute.
Agreement aims to increase quality of care and reduce healthcare costs in the region
Philadelphia – Independence Blue Cross (Independence) and Rothman Institute have signed a new five-year agreement, making Rothman Institute the first large independent physician group to join Independence’s Facilitated Health Networks (FHN) model – a collaborative approach that is focused on bringing health insurers, hospitals, and doctors together to improve the quality and lower the costs of healthcare in the region. The new agreement, effective July 1, 2018, illustrates a joint commitment between Independence and Rothman Institute to work closely together to ensure that members are having their procedures and care performed in the most appropriate, high-quality, and cost-effective settings.
Under the FHN model, Rothman Institute has also agreed to expand their bundled payment arrangements for specific procedures they perform on Independence members – such as hip replacement, knee replacement, shoulder replacement, knee arthroscopy, lumbar laminectomy, and spinal fusion. Bundled payment for procedures like these are designed to put the Rothman Institute’s physicians in charge of an entire episode of care – ensuring that appropriate diagnostic tests are completed, that surgery is performed in the most appropriate setting, and ultimately that all post-operative care including therapy results in an optimal outcome for Independence members. This type of arrangement helps keep healthcare costs down by eliminating unnecessary services and delays, all while providing members the highest quality care with their doctors highly engaged in the process
“We are excited to have Rothman Institute, a leader in the field of orthopedics and a participating provider in our network for more than two decades, be the first large independent physician group to join our FHN model,” said Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO at Independence. “They were one of the first physician groups to work with us on value-based incentive programs and have proven how successful these types of arrangements can be in helping to solve the problem of rising healthcare costs in our region.”
“This renewed partnership between our organizations is a win-win for everyone involved,” said Alexander R. Vaccaro, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., President of Rothman Institute. “Evidence-based, low cost, convenient care is here to stay. By continuing our relationship with Independence Blue Cross our patients are assured of reaping the benefit of high-quality care at Rothman Institute. We look forward to the next five years and beyond.”
“Our new agreement with Rothman Institute includes significant collaboration and innovation around things such as the two-way exchange of data that will give both organizations the ability to identify – and fill – gaps in care, understand utilization and spending patterns at a population level, and help keep costs down for our members,” said Anthony V. Coletta, M.D., MBA, president of Facilitated Health Networks at Independence. “This strengthened partnership underscores how committed Independence and Rothman Institute are to improving healthcare in the region and to ensuring members receive the high quality care at the right place and at the right price.”
About Rothman Institute
Rothman Institute is a private orthopaedic practice dedicated to providing communities with high-quality, compassionate, and affordable musculoskeletal care that is grounded in evidence-based medicine, the results of which will exceed expectations. Rothman Institute orthopaedists treat patients at over 29 locations in the Philadelphia-region, including orthopaedic urgent care clinics in Marlton, NJ and Limerick, PA.
With experts in orthopaedic sub-specialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, Rothman Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology.
Consistently recognized as national and regional “Top Docs,” Rothman Institute is proud to be the first practice serving as official team physicians for all four of the major professional sports teams in one city, the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and 76ers, as well as over 40 college and high school teams.
For more information about Rothman Institute please call 1-800-321-9999 or visit www.RothmanInstitute.com.
Media contact:
Diana Quattrone
Independence Blue Cross
215-241-3113 (o) | 215-815-7828 (c)
Diana.Quattrone@ibx.com