New Study Finds Preventive Care Reduces Healthcare Cost Among Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries
With rising healthcare costs and decreasing physician and patient satisfaction, a new study showed that MDVIP (MD Value In Prevention), a personalized preventive primary care model, reduced Medicare Advantage healthcare spending by $3.7 million through a statistically significant decrease in hospital utilization. This study, conducted by Optum, is published in the August 2014 issue of the peer-reviewed American Journal of Managed Care.
The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of a model of preventive healthcare delivery based upon a closer, personalized physician-patient relationship and a focus on disease prevention within a Medicare Advantage population. The two-year study followed a dataset of over 4,600 patients equally divided into two groups, those who transitioned into an MDVIP-affiliated practice and those who had been patients of the same physicians and did not join MDVIP.
The impact of the MDVIP primary care model is clearly shown by the study’s findings, which include:
- In the first year alone, there was a 20% reduction in emergency room visits of MDVIP members as compared to non-members. The second year of the study revealed an even greater reduction of 24%.
- The study also found a 19% decrease in the number of inpatient admissions for MDVIP members over the course of two years when compared to their counterparts in traditional primary care practices.
MDVIP physicians have demonstrated significant cost savings versus a control group of conventional practices (Am J Manag Care 2012). This new study supports the premise that MDVIP recruits exceptional doctors and that the MDVIP model itself enables those outstanding physicians to practice even better medicine. In fact, the results of the study show that patients who stayed with their physician as they transitioned into the MDVIP model required fewer healthcare resources consequently saving healthcare costs. With the benefits integral to the MDVIP model, physicians are able to more effectively manage their patients’ care and are performing more recommended preventive care services leading to a lower migration of individuals to higher risk categories as they continue to age.
Dr. Andrea Klemes, the Chief Medical Officer of MDVIP, explains, “As more and more people enter into Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, MDVIP is a great option for patients. We have proven that we identify early health risk, utilize more preventive services and have better patient outcomes than conventional medicine. This study highlights the advantage of this personalized, preventive care model that results in significant cost savings to the health system.”
The innovative MDVIP model, with its emphasis on proactive prevention, differs from a traditional primary care practice that concentrates primarily on reactive care to address symptoms and acute health problems. With a smaller panel of approximately 600 patients, as opposed to the 3,000 or more in a traditional primary care practice, the MDVIP doctor and patient have the time to work together to develop a personal wellness plan they implement throughout the year.
“The MDVIP model achieved a reduction in unplanned admissions and emergency room visits, demonstrating significant cost savings,” said Dr. Jeremy Orr, Chief Medical Officer, Optum Analytics.
Researchers contributing to the study include: Shirley Musich, PhD1, Andrea Klemes, DO, FACE2, Michael A. Kubica, MBA, MS3, Sara Wang, PhD1, Kevin Hawkins, PhD1
1OptumInsight, Advanced Analytics, Ann Arbor, MI 2MDVIP, Boca Raton, FL, 3Applied Quantitative Sciences, Pompano Beach, FL
The article, "Personalized Preventive Care Reduces Healthcare Expenditures Among Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries,” appears in the August 2014 issue of American Journal of Managed Care.
About MDVIP, Inc.
MDVIP, Inc. is the national leader in affordable personalized healthcare. With prevention at the center of its program, MDVIP has proven that its carefully chosen affiliated physicians provide exceptional care and achieve exceptional outcomes. Published results include lower hospitalization rates which yield significant cost savings to patients, employers and the healthcare system. MDVIP-affiliated physicians limit their practices to no more than 600 patients in order to provide a customized wellness and preventive care program. There are currently over 700 MDVIP-affiliated physicians in the network throughout the country. MDVIP, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information, visit MDVIP.com or www.facebook.com/MDVIP.
About the Journal
The American Journal of Managed Care, now in its 20th year of publication, is the leading peer-reviewed journal dedicated to issues in managed care. Other titles in the AJMC family of publications are The American Journal of Pharmacy Benefits, which provides pharmacy and formulary decision makers with information to improve the efficiency and health outcomes in managing pharmaceutical care. In December 2013, AJMC introduced The American Journal of Accountable Care, which publishes research and commentary devoted to understanding changes to the healthcare system due to the 2010 Affordable Care Act. AJMC’s news publications, the Evidence-Based series, bring together stakeholder views from payers, providers, policymakers and pharmaceutical leaders in the areas of oncology, diabetes management, and immunology and infectious disease. To order reprints of articles appearing in AJMC publications, please call (609) 716-7777, x 131.
About Dr. Andrea Klemes
Dr. Andrea Klemes is the Chief Medical Officer of MDVIP. She also serves as the executive and organizational leader of MDVIP’s Medical Advisory Board that supports quality and innovation in the delivery of the healthcare model drawing expertise from the affiliated physicians. Dr. Klemes is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology and received her medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed an internal medicine residency at Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan, New York, and an endocrine and metabolism fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Prior to joining MDVIP, Dr. Klemes worked at Procter & Gamble in the areas of personal healthcare, women’s health and digestive wellness and served as North American Medical Director for bone health. She spent 10 years in private practice specializing in endocrinology and metabolism in Tallahassee, Florida.
Links to Information About MDVIP’s Published Studies:
American Journal of Managed Care
http://www.mdvip.com/study-proves-dramatic-reduction-in-hospitalizations-and-300-million-savings-for-mdvips-personalized-healthcare-model
International Journal of Person Centered Medicine
http://www.mdvip.com/press/view/primary-care-survey-proves-that-mdvip-delivers-better-preventive-care-services-and-patient-results-when-compared-to-national-health-plans
Future Cardiology
http://www.mdvip.com/press/view/report-confirms-multimarker-approach-as-definitive-tool-to-identify-and-help-diminish-cardiovascular-risk