POCATELLO, Idaho – Statewide efforts to improve patient care and better manage health care costs are getting a major boost now that Portneuf Medical Center has agreed to fully embrace a new reimbursement approach with Regence BlueShield of Idaho.
Regence’s Value-based Reimbursement model ties future contract rates with hospital performance on specific quality measures. The measures include the hospital’s STAR “quality” rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems; the CMS Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey of patient experience; and the facility’s Hospital Safety Score as publicly reported by The Leapfrog Group.
“Our physicians and every team member at this hospital have long made the delivery of exceptional patient-centered care their top priority,” said Dan Ordyna, Portneuf Medical Center CEO. “And that unwavering commitment to quality is recognized by more than our patients. Portneuf Medical Center is accredited by The Joint Commission and has earned a Gold Seal of Approval™, and was designated as a Top Performer in Key Quality Measures® two years in a row.”
“We’re delighted to have a provider-partner in Portneuf Medical Center that welcomes the opportunity to be measured against high national standards and to continually focus on patient concerns about cost, quality and transparency,” said Scott Kreiling, president of Regence BlueShield of Idaho. “Achieving the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal is an achievement to be proud of, and residents of southeast Idaho are fortunate to have ready access to such a safe, high quality facility.”
This new Value-based Reimbursement agreement is the latest example of the successful roll-out of a comprehensive Accountable Health strategy within the Regence family of companies in Idaho, Utah, Oregon and Washington. With Portneuf Medical Center’s addition, Regence members in Idaho can now choose from a committed network of high quality, affordable hospitals that put patient experience, patient outcome and manageable costs first in nearly every part of the state.
About Portneuf Medical Center
Portneuf Medical Center is a comprehensive regional referral center committed to providing world class care to every patient, every time. From our Cancer Center and our Level II NICU to our cardiology care and Level II Trauma Center, our dedicated doctors, nurses and staff stand ready to help families in eastern Idaho and western Wyoming. Learn more at http://www.portmed.org/.
About Regence BlueShield of Idaho
Regence BlueShield of Idaho, based in Lewiston, has been serving Idahoans for 70 years and now provides more than 141,000 members with comprehensive health insurance solutions. As a nonprofit mutual insurance company and independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers in Idaho and nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com,facebook.com/regenceblueshieldofidaho or twitter.com/regenceidaho.