The largest clinically integrated network in Connecticut has taken measures to ensure that its 750 physicians receive the health IT tools and administrative support they need to reduce burnout and maintain their independent status.
North Haven-based Community Medical Group (CMG), which includes more than 470 specialists, 100 primary care physicians and some 170 pediatricians practicing at more than 240 locations, has partnered with Arlington, Virginia-based Privia Health to launch Privia Quality Network of Connecticut to contract with commercial payers and Medicare in valued-based care arrangements.
Privia Health is a member of the AMA Health System Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
“There was great alignment from the outset of our conversations, with a focus on offering a robust alternative to community physicians who want to maintain their autonomy and independence,” said Joseph Quaranta, MD, president of both Privia Quality Network of Connecticut and Community Medical Group.
“The primary goals were to keep CMG practices independent, develop the provider network across the state of Connecticut, and introduce Privia’s common technology and management-services platform to enable CMG providers to move down the risk continuum and succeed in value-based care arrangements,” Dr. Quaranta added.
Privia’s partnership adds to Privia’s national footprint, which includes more than 3,700 physicians and other health professionals in more than 970 practice locations across California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Community Medical Group physicians had a strong desire to remain independent and, by working with Privia, they are able to do that, Dr. Quaranta said.
“Through Privia’s capabilities and successful track record, CMG is able to provide our physician partners with more choices and greater expertise in value-based care, and access to a robust technology and services platform that can offer greater value for those that desire to remain independent while caring for their diverse patient panels,” he explained.
The CMG clinical integration (CI) program is a “physician-led, physician-driven effort,” Dr. Quaranta said. It combines evidence-based best practices and innovative data-collection technology that aligns physicians’ economic incentives under value-based payer contracts and drives clinical quality improvement.
“Our physicians are required to collaborate with their colleagues in the ongoing development and implementation of the CI program, and to hold themselves and each other accountable for compliance with initiatives of the program,” Dr. Quaranta said.
Key features of Privia Quality Network of Connecticut value-based contracts include elements of quality and total cost of care—as is the case with most of these types of contracts, said Eric Beyer, Privia Health regional president. They also include “a defined path to downside risk where appropriate.”
“We do have some unique arrangements with targeted employee populations across the state which have a subset of performance measures specific to that population,” Beyer explained. “Those contracts also include some enhanced revenue streams to help support the infrastructure necessary to improve patient outcomes.”
Track record of success
Privia’s performance track record includes excelling in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), in which its accountable care organizations (ACOs), known collectively as the Privia Quality Network, provided care to more than 112,000 Medicare beneficiaries in 2021.
Privia Quality Network ACOs achieved aggregate shared savings of $99.9 million through the MSSP in 2021, with 100% of its ACOs achieving shared savings.
The network delivered total annual average expenditures that were 15% lower than the median MSSP ACO and 24% lower than total fee-for-service Medicare expenditures. More specifically, its Mid-Atlantic ACO generated the highest savings rate (9.2%) of all ACOs with more than 40,000 attributed lives.
Privia participation in the MSSP also reflects the network’s growth, as the amount of Medicare health care expenses included in the Privia Quality Network has grown from $111 million in 2014 to $1.14 billion in 2021.
Reducing burdens, lowering burnout
Dr. Quaranta noted how the support Community Medical Group will get from Privia will reduce physician burnout and help his organization recruit top talent.
“The long-term goals of the CMG partnership with Privia is to create and build upon cultural, strategic, operational, and financial alignment that will reduce physicians’ administrative burden and strengthen their practice’s vitality as we expand our presence across the state,” he explained.
Beyer said that announcements heralding more partnerships like the ones with CMG and Novant Health can be expected, as Privia’s “highly differentiated and flexible operating model can be replicated” across the country.
“Privia’s long-term goal is to build scaled provider networks in every state we enter, and our partnership with CMG is a prime example of one way for Privia to enter a new geography with a market-leading partner,” he said.
