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What happens when physicians know the total cost of care

Physician Practice Insider, June 2, 2015

When Portland, OR-based Family Medical Group Northeast found out that it had a high rate of patients showing up in local emergency departments because of behavioral health issues in 2013, leaders at the practice were confounded.

The primary care clinic is a Tier 3 Primary Care Home, a state designation that is similar to but separate from the NCQA's patient-centered medical home initiative, and has worked hard to coordinate care for its patients across multiple settings.

"It took us a couple of times before we said, 'What's going on?' " says Lisa Kranz, practice administrator for Family Medical Group Northeast.

Kranz was able to look at the practice's referral patterns, not only to area emergency departments, but also to specialists, because of a cost and utilization report made available to them and other healthcare providers by the Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation.

Read the full story at HealthLeaders Media.

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