In 2017, as part of a 15-year ongoing process to encourage enhanced and optimal patient care, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). With scoring based on quality, cost, promoting interoperability, and practice improvement activities, MIPS has not functioned as intended.
Now, CMS is working to establish a new model that places more emphasis on specific health conditions or specialty care called MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs). This new approach to participating in the MIPS program through MVPs has introduced a corresponding learning curve that can distract providers from delivering quality care as they seek to adapt to the new scoring system and reporting options. Fortunately, there are companies and provider organizations with deep expertise in value-based care (VBC) and MVPs that can provide guidance and services to help ease the burden on practices so they can focus on their core mission of caring for patients.
Outside experts can help navigate MVP challenges Though the ultimate purpose of the new MVPs is to incentivize performance that improves the quality of patient care, participation can be accompanied by significant technical and administrative burdens that can distract from that goal. Unfortunately, technology challenges and administrative burden have been listed as top contributors to burnout in the healthcare industry. As practices work to identify the most beneficial approaches to participating in MIPS while also maintaining optimal patient care, many are seeking guidance from companies specializing in VBC solutions, as well as expert-based provider organizations like The US Oncology Network (The Network).
These companies and organizations have professionals, like VBC transformation leads, whose expertise in oncology, VBC, and business management facilitate recommendations customized to each practice. For instance, through The Network experts help maximize practices’ MIPS performance scores through either the traditional MIPS reporting option or the new Advancing Cancer Care MVP measure set for oncology. Practices also have access to technology integration and reporting solutions from The Network to streamline participation in MIPS. Transformation leads also assist care teams to implement best practices to ensure optimal patient care and educate practices on how to leverage tools and technology to monitor performance, modify workflows, and ensure seamless reporting of data required for MIPS.
