Ray Cornelio, PhD, MBA, MSE, Vice President of Business Development
As healthcare shifts from fee-for-service to value-based care, quality-driven post-acute care is crucial for maintaining patient health and long-term outcomes. Innovative solutions are needed to meet the challenges faced by post-acute care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living facilities (ALFs), and nursing homes. Therefore, choosing a clinical partner capable of assisting post-acute care organizations in bridging the gap and transitioning to alternative care models is crucial for their future success.
”In all my experience literally working with a couple hundred facilities across the country, I’m convinced more than ever that quality has to be front and center. It absolutely has to be front and center.
Chance Becnel, CEO and Owner, Axiom Healthcare Services
Elevating Quality in Post-Acute Care
With an aging population, the demand for quality post-acute and long-term care is increasing exponentially. Clinician groups and post-acute care facilities must evolve to meet this demand to advance exceptional care.
The TeamHealth SmartPAC® program offers comprehensive services and support that empower exceptional care including:
- Readmission Reduction Program: Retrospective and prospective approaches to performance improvement to support the reduction of avoidable readmissions.
- Medical Director Leadership Academy: Developed to ensure best-in-class care by facility medical directors for skilled and long-term patients.
- Topics include: Effective leadership in Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) meetings, performing root cause analyses for patients returning to the hospital, gradual dose reductions, partnering with facilities during the state survey process, and more.
- Call Solution Program: After-hours program with dedicated post-acute clinicians to provide vital telephonic clinical support to treat patients in place.
- ATP (Acute to Post-Acute) Transitions of Care Programs: Enhances communication and patient handoff from the hospital to the post-acute clinician and assists in reducing hospital readmissions, decreasing medical errors, and increasing patient satisfaction.
- Specialty Care Services: Includes specialty services such as behavioral health, cardiac care, palliative care, and wound care to provide comprehensive care to our patients.
- Medical Records Compliance Program: Provides facility partners with timely access to the most up-to-date medical care plans for our patients.
- TeamACO®: Exemplifies our dedication in transitioning toward value-based care models, underscoring our commitment to enhancing clinical outcomes and reducing overall care costs for accountable care organization beneficiaries.
These programs and processes work together to support quality care for patients while enhancing facility operations. The shift to value-based care highlights the need for innovation. TeamHealth SmartPAC’s comprehensive suite of programs is a transformational approach to improving clinical outcomes in post-acute patient care.
”If we get that quality component right, there are a number of dominos that fall into place.
Brian Barbeau, Vice President of Operations, Axiom Healthcare Services
TeamHealth and Axiom Healthcare
Axiom Healthcare Services is a solutions-driven management and consulting company with a vast post-acute care footprint across Kansas. In over a dozen facilities, they provide long-term nursing care, assisted living, independent living, and hybrid care options. They also operate a management company that oversees over 800 beds for roughly 600 patients with about 1,000 employees. Their impressive footprint across the state is a testament to their leadership’s dedication to increasing access to care. Axiom is highly decorated with quality recognitions, further highlighting their commitment to quality care.
When Axiom leadership sought a post-acute care solution prioritizing quality outcomes, they recognized that TeamHealth’s network of clinicians could assist in enhancing performance metrics and care quality for their patients. They also acknowledged that TeamACO collaborates with facilities to develop innovative solutions, generating high provider engagement, assisting in improved care delivery, and reduced healthcare utilization to support potential shared savings.
TeamHealth and TeamACO are proud to partner with Axiom as the post-acute care industry continues its transition from fee-for-service medicine to the emerging environment of value-based care. TeamHealth and Axiom share a commitment to advancing positive patient outcomes and reducing avoidable costs which lays the foundation for a strong network of highly engaged partners who are empowered to provide exceptional care.
Future Directions in Post-Acute Care
TeamHealth and Axiom are at the forefront of quality in long-term care. To continue improving post-acute care, insights gained from the TeamHealth-Axiom relationship suggest the following key factors worthy of increased focus:
- Enhancing Post-Acute Care: Advancing quality of care for patients while supporting optimal facility performance with comprehensive programs like TeamHealth SmartPAC and engaged clinical teams and leaders guiding the way.
- Advanced analytics: Leveraging analytics to identify patients at high risk for complications or readmissions may help target timely interventions more effectively.
- Integration of behavioral health and other specialty care: Incorporating mental health into post-acute care plans can address often-overlooked factors affecting patient recovery.
- Policy changes: Advocating for policy changes that support value-based care in post-acute settings.
Optimizing Post-Acute Care in the Era of Value-Based Care
At TeamHealth, we know that quality is the foundation of best-in-class healthcare. Our partnership with Axiom Healthcare helps us strengthen quality outcomes and improve the delivery of healthcare inside post-acute facilities each day. With an aging population and the transition to value-based care models, an evolved emphasis on the post-acute sector is vital to a well-rounded, high-performing healthcare ecosystem. By implementing data-driven strategies, enhancing care coordination, and addressing ongoing challenges, healthcare organizations can improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and create a more efficient and effective post-acute care system.
TeamHealth Post-Acute Care takes pride in being a strong facility partner as collaboration between the facility and clinical teams is a crucial element in achieving success for each and every patient. To learn more about partnering with TeamHealth, please reach out to us.
