In its report “Advancing Primary Care Delivery: Practical, Proven and Scalable Approaches,” UnitedHealth Group’s Center for Health Reform & Modernization cites new research that shows a clear relationship between more primary care physicians practicing in a local healthcare market and lower rates of avoidable hospital admissions and emergency department visits.
The report examines existing best practices and key solutions that — if expanded at scale — can help close the primary care gap and improve care delivery, including:
- Implementing innovative payment models that reward value.
- Expanding the roles of nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
- Assembling multidisciplinary care teams to deliver care more efficiently.
- Using electronic health records and other health information technology (HIT) to share information across the delivery system in real time.
“Primary care is essential to building a higher-performing healthcare system that promotes personal well-being and saves consumers and taxpayers money,” says Richard Migliori, M.D., executive vice president of Medical Affairs and chief medical officer of UnitedHealth Group.
