TTM Informer. Fourth Quarter Issue 1 WELCOME TO THE TTM INFORMER

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1 TTM Informer Fourth Quarter Issue 1 In This Issue: Provider Outreach within Accountable Care Organizations...1 What are Heathcare Leaders Saying?...2 PROVIDER OUTREACH WITHIN ACCOUNTABLE CARE ORGANIZATIONS Upcoming Events...3 Recent News...4 As the fog lifts over the landscape of healthcare reform, one thing is certain - the growth of future healthcare delivery will be through a more accountable care model. Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) hold great promise of aligning the interests of healthcare payers, providers and patients through a more coordinated care delivery model with appropriately allied incentives. Some may compare the current ACO movement with the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) model growth seen in the 1980s and 1990s. The comparison is somewhat unfair, to begin with HMO s were plagued by objections and confusion of patients regarding the HMOs role in patient care decisions, an overemphasis on cost control, and either a real or imagined loss of intimate control over care decisions by the primary care provider. Ultimately these and other concerns caused HMOs to back off from some of their earlier approaches and eventually fall out of favor. The major difference, which must be kept in the fore with the ACO model, is the proper alignment among healthcare providers to achieve quality and outcome targets that lead to financial success among all stakeholders, providers and ACO s alike. For such a model to be successful and not suffer the same fate of the HMO, continuous communication between ACO leadership and healthcare providers is paramount. An effective provider educational outreach strategy that is based on data, medical evidence and financial transparency is critical. (Continued on page 2) WELCOME TO THE TTM INFORMER It is our distinct pleasure to welcome you to the inaugural issue of the TTM Informer. As our healthcare landscape continues to evolve, it is our goal to keep our friends, partners and clients informed about the many changes that may impact their business. In addition, we look forward to sharing all the great things we have going on at TTM to help organizations best respond and thrive in this changing environment. We hope you enjoy this first issue that focuses on accountable care organizations and look forward to continued communications in the future. Barry Patel, Pharm.D. President and Co-Founder Fourth Quarter Issue 1 p. 1

2 What are Healthcare Leaders Saying? Steps to Effective Provider Educational Outreach Considering that each ACO will have their own challenges based on their specific structure and provider relationships, here are some general steps to overcome challenges and develop a successful provider outreach and education program Break down the barriers; work to understand the perceptions of your physician networks and how those may have affected education efforts in the past. Review current procedures being used for education within the organization. Some organizations use newsletters or stuff monthly billing checks with updates on research and studies. This approach may work for some, but measuring effectiveness and determining if the data even gets into the hands of providers is difficult at best. Target and segment your providers avoid adopting a one-size fits all approach to education. Some physicians need more intensive, face-toface outreach, some respond well to virtual programs, and some are already incorporating best practices and need only passive interventions. 4. Consider outsourcing as education is sometimes perceived better coming from an outside credible source, rather than the ACO leadership itself. To ensure you receive optimal value from new educational initiatives, be sure to incorporate analytics to measure and report results. Share the information with providers and among organizational leadership so that successful programs can be expanded and those not producing desired results altered. TTM Informer: How can primary care physicians thrive within an ACO system? Ernest Cook, MD: PCPs are faced with an increasing workload with diminishing reimbursements and since the ACO model is based on accountability that provides rewards for providing better care as opposed to providing more care. TTM Informer: Are PCPs open to this new focus on accountability and how should they be approached to discuss it? Ernest Cook, MD: PCPs respond very well to open discussions that are based on quality and outcomes, but details have to be clearly explained based on a foundation of better outcomes with the knowledge that tools and resources will be available to help them to support this goal. Ernest Cook, MD Florida Physicians Trust (ACO) There are certain inherent challenges to provider outreach that need to be considered when developing an effective strategy in this area: 1. ACOs need to communicate a large amount of information a. b. c. d. CHALLENGES TO PROVIDER EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH: ACO quality metrics being measured Current performance compared to benchmarks Clinical guidelines based on medical evidence Latest literature that supports clinical guidelines Financial incentives and contract related specifications e. Lack of time by busy providers Lack of buy-in by providers Shear amount of information being communicated to providers from sometimes competing sources Lack of efficient and convenient methods of communication by ACO leadership Fourth Quarter Issue 1 p. 2

3 Upcoming Events: October 3-5, 2012 Katie Stringer presenting at AMCP in Cincinnati on Working Together to Improve Patient Adherence to Antidepressant Medication through Physician Education Getting Started with Provider Engagement The first place to start is with the data. Analyze and understand your provider performance data. Educational strategies based upon specific areas of need will be more topical, timely and poignant. Educational content built on the foundation of medical evidence then bridged to impacts on quality measurements and cost is more effective and measurable than a more generic content. By conducting a thorough data analysis, an ACO can also target and tier their provider education audience. Based on the data, some providers may need intensive and continuous educational support whereas some may need more reaffirmation and maintenance education. Once target audiences have been identified and categorized, an effective educational platform that suits the ACO should be implemented based on several factors including budget, internal personnel to support education, geography needing to be covered and finally the timing. Education and engagement with providers is an ongoing process. Emphasis on continually evolving to meet the latest outcomes-based study findings, the needs of the organization, and the learning needs of providers will help maintain an effective initiative. Effectively managing the outreach, content and delivery of the quality initiatives will keep your program well-suited to your plan, your providers and most importantly, the continued quality outcomes for your patients. October 25, 2012 As the healthcare landscape continues to rapidly evolve, pharmacy and medical directors are increasingly challenged to demonstrate improvement in quality and outcomes to reap the rewards that come with these changes. TTM Complimentary Webinar Series: Part II, Medicare Part D Star Ratings Improvement, register at November 12-14, 2012 TTM to exhibit at HEDIS Measures and Quality Management Conference in Nashville Fourth Quarter Issue 1 p. 3

4 RECENT NEWS Total Therapeutic Management Introduces First Live Web-Based Academic Detailing Program iclin-engager offers a highly targeted, patientcentric approach to provider education while also accommodating busy clinicians schedules Kennesaw, GA -- July 19, 2012 As healthcare organizations struggle to find ways to engage providers in the use of more outcomes-focused data, Total Therapeutic Management (TTM) introduces iclin-engager, the nation s first virtual, interactive, peer-to-peer academic detailing program. TTM is a healthcare quality improvement company that has been providing one-on-one clinical education and outreach through academic detailing to clinicians since TTM physicians, nurses and pharmacists are using iclin-engager to disseminate clinical and quality information to healthcare providers in an interactive virtual environment via a live, web-based application. Sessions are scheduled when and where it is most convenient for the provider, ensuring higher levels of participation in educational initiatives. What really sets this virtual academic detailing program apart from typical provider education programs is that we can provide meaningful peer-reviewed best practice information and guidance down to the individual patient level, said Ed Perez, Pharm. D., CEO of TTM. Providers who have gone through the program are highly enthusiastic about the presentations and have noted that they will begin integrating the provider tools and patient tools into their practice to improve patient outcomes. Clinical and quality information can be customized based on specific conditions among a clinician s patient population, such as diabetes or heart disease. Reports can be presented that show providers how they can use this clinical and quality information immediately for their own patients. For example, the program can show providers which patients need certain tests or other follow-up care. Virtual academic detailing through iclin-engager TM provides a solution that meets the needs of clinicians in virtually every setting especially those in rural markets where over 25% of Americans receive their healthcare notes Barry Patel, Pharm.D, president of TTM. We are continuing to lead the way in physician education and engagement by embracing technology to create solutions for health systems that need better ways to engage and educate busy providers in these rural settings. This feature ensures providers have access to the most recent, and relevant data, and helps health plans seeking to improve quality and outcomes among individual patients as well as within targeted populations. The program also helps organizations to improve quality indicators such as Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS ), and Medicare Star ratings. iclin-engager is being offered to health plans and other organizations seeking to share the kind of patient-specific data, as well as evidence-based, peer-reviewed research, that will better inform and engage providers in optimal patient management. Already several organizations, including a major national health plan completing a program mid-summer, have launched pilot programs using iclin-engager TM. Virtual academic detailing through iclin-engager TM provides a solution that meets the needs of clinicians in virtually every setting especially those in rural markets where over 25% of Americans receive their healthcare notes Barry Patel, Pharm.D, president of TTM. We are continuing to lead the way in physician education and engagement by embracing technology to create solutions for health systems that need better ways to engage and educate busy providers in these rural settings. Fourth Quarter Issue 1 p. 4

5 The benefits of virtual academic detailing education include: Lower costs compared with traditional live face-to-face academic detailing programs. Greater participation and engagement when done at a time and place that accommodates busy clinicians, such as before or after office hours. No geographic or time limitations programs scheduled when/where convenient for providers. Consistent delivery of content based on scripted messages. Customized data presentations specific to each clinician s patients. For additional information on iclin-engager, and to request a video demonstration, visit About TTM Based in Kennesaw, GA, Total Therapeutic Management (TTM) is a physician-focused quality improvement company that provides health information management, research and education support services to some of the nation s largest healthcare, pharmaceutical and research companies. TTM s services have helped ensure patients ultimately achieve treatment goals based on national guidelines for chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Since 1995, healthcare organizations have relied on TTM to deliver clinical information that ultimately leads to better health outcomes. Fourth Quarter Issue 1 Contact TTM To learn more about TTM, please contact business development at , or at info@rxttm.com. Utilizing our vast experience we will provide you with consultation related to your needs and help fit a solution that best fits your specific goals. General Inquires: info@rxttm.com Career Opportunity Inquires: careers@rxttm.com Corporate Headquarters: 300 Townpark Drive Bldg 1, Suite 100 Kennesaw, GA Tel Fax Academic Detailing Operations Office: 386 Lawrence Street Marietta, GA Tel Fax p. 5