Washington, DC - As part of its ongoing effort to support physicians navigating new value-based care models, the American Medical Association (AMA) today announced online resources for physicians considering their choice of new payment models that emphasize prevention, wellness and coordinated care.
“With physicians facing critical decisions about new payment models, the AMA is rolling out tools to help practices of all sizes succeed and support better health outcomes for everyone,” said AMA President Steven J. Stack, M.D. “The AMA’s new, comprehensive online resources will help physicians drive successful implementation as insurers introduce new payment models that reward better outcomes and treatment coordination.”
The AMA’s STEPS Forward™ collection of physician-developed practice improvement strategies has introduced a new interactive module on practicing value-based care. Grace Terrell, M.D., an internal medicine physician and president of Cornerstone Health Care, authored the new value-based care module to share with other physicians the proven steps her clinic used to focus on patients at the center of care. Learn more by registering for a webinar on May 11, in which Dr. Terrell will share her experience implementing a value-base care model.
The new module on value-based care is among a variety of physician-developed resources available in the STEPS Forward collection to guide the process of implementing new payment models, including steps toward advancing team-based care, implementing electronic health records and improving care.
Launched by the AMA in June 2015, STEPS Forward offers a free series of 35 interactive educational modules aimed at helping physicians redesign their medical practices to minimize stress and reignite professional fulfillment in their work. Continuing medical education credit can be earned from each module. In addition to the value-based care, eight newly introduced modules offer guidance on topics that include: medical assistant professional development, care transition teams, health coaching, advance care planning, patient registration, quality improvement and point of care registries.
On the heels of newly proposed federal regulations to carry out the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), the AMA has also created an extensive set of online resources to support physician preparations for a modernized Medicare program. The resources include a guide to physician-focused payment models, key points of MIPS and five things you can do now to prepare, among other resources.
“The core policy elements in MACRA are surfacing in other public and private insurance programs, so understanding these policies will be essential for most physician practices,” said Dr. Stack. “The AMA stands ready to provide support and physician-to-physician guidance that can transform a medical practice and foster professional fulfillment by freeing physicians to spend more time with their patients and ensure they receive the highest-quality care.”
To learn more about MACRA as implementation continues, or keep current with ways medical practices are already pursuing alternative payment models and other delivery reforms, physicians can count on AMA Wire® for ongoing coverage.
Through its ongoing work, the AMA is committed to help physicians and their practices thrive so they can continue to put patients first. By advancing initiatives that enhance practice efficiency, professional satisfaction, and the delivery of care, the AMA is striving to help physicians navigate and succeed in a continually evolving health care environment.
