Empanelment and Milestone 8
Milestone 8 Practice uses a data-driven approach to assign patients to a provider panel and confirms assignments with providers and patients. Practice reviews and updates panel assignments on a regular basis. Practice does not consistently assign patients to a provider panel or has no way to track the assignments in the PM or EHR systems. Practice has an approach to assign patients to a provider panel but not all patients have been assigned and their assignment confirmed. Practice has assigned patients to a provider panel according to its defined method and confirms the assignments as patients are scheduled and seen. Practice is not reviewing and updating panel assignments on a regular basis. Practice has assigned all patients to a provider panel and confirmed the assignments with providers and patients. Practice reviews and updates panel assignments on a regular basis.
What is Empanelment? “Empanelment is the act of assigning each patient to a primary care provider who, with support from a care team, assumes responsibility for coordinating comprehensive services for his/her panel of patients. Empanelment is a methodology to ensure continuity of care for a practice’s patient population.” Source: http://www.safetynetmedicalhome.org/sites/default/files/Implementation-Guide-Empanelment.pdf
Empanelment Can promote improved outcomes and experience A tactic to promote continuity A foundational concept of population management More than just a “PCP field” Source: http://www.safetynetmedicalhome.org/sites/default/files/Implementation-Guide-Empanelment.pdf
Basic Approach Take a practice-wide view: Drill down into panels: Update/clean practice/clinician panels Determine target panel sizes per clinician/team Assign patients to clinicians (Four cut method) Drill down into panels: Compare actual panel size to targets (supply vs. demand) Manage mismatch, understanding dynamic nature of panels Ongoing Panel Maintenance Role of the “panel manager” Optimize team-based practice Source: http://www.safetynetmedicalhome.org/sites/default/files/Implementation-Guide-Empanelment.pdf
Good Resources: Safety Net Medical Home – Empanelment Implementation Guide http://www.safetynetmedicalhome.org/sites/default/files/Implementation-Guide-Empanelment.pdf 5 Part Webinar on Empanelment https://www.careinnovations.org/resources/part-one-establishing-patient-provider-relationships/