Accountability drives our team at Wellvana, just like it underpins value-based care.  

When physicians are no longer rewarded for how much treatment they provide, they become financially accountable for the overall health of their patients. In turn, Wellvana must be accountable to the independent providers who depend on us to guide them through this transformation.  

But let me describe a more productive kind of accountability.  

A patient at a Wellvana practice in Tennessee called his remote Care Manager in mid-March. He informed Gabby Hartman, RN, that he’d just been to the emergency room for a cold because the doctor’s office wouldn’t squeeze him in. 

An ER visit for an upper respiratory infection goes against the basic tenets of value-based care. The hospital is an expensive place to receive primary care. And usually, it’s not an ideal experience for the patient either.  

This patient said his symptoms weren’t getting better, and he planned to go back to the ER. So Gabby also tried to make an appointment on his behalf and similarly hit a brick wall.  

Instead of giving up, she sought help from the Wellvana Practice Transformation Specialist who works closely with this practice. Adele Williams used her relationships to get through to the right people, explain the situation and transform a potential failure into a true teaching moment.  

The patient was seen within two days. New medications prescribed. Cold symptoms improved. Another unnecessary trip to the ER avoided. A win all around and another step on the way to Wellvana.  

In value-based care, providers are responsible for changing the behavior of folks who aren’t even on their payroll. No longer can they blame the patient for not adhering to medication, not eating well or not making it to a follow-up. The doctor is on the hook. And we are too — sharing the accountability for changing that patient behavior.   

Turning the $4 trillion healthcare industry toward value will take time. And we can accelerate the transition when we say everyone’s problem is everyone’s problem. But to look at it another way, everyone’s goal is to help everyone else succeed.