CHESS and Appalachian Regional Healthcare System Partner to Implement Value-based Healthcare Delivery Model
CHESS (a population health management company based in High Point) and Appalachian Regional Healthcare System announced Monday that they have joined into a long-term partnership that will assist the Boone-based health system in changing its healthcare delivery model from one based on fee-for-service (volume-based) to one rooted in pay-for-performance (value-based). 
“As healthcare reimbursement methods migrate to payment models based on quality, outcomes and cost, we are excited to join CHESS, a proven leader in the industry,” said ARHS President and CEO Richard Sparks. “We believe in partnering with CHESS, we can better adapt to a healthcare delivery model that will improve the quality of care and reduce the cost of caring for our patients.”
CHESS has assisted Cornerstone Health Care, a 350-provider multi-specialty group based in High Point, NC, in making the move to value by implementing innovative care models and establishing value-based contracts with insurance carriers. All of Cornerstone’s commercial insurance plans are set up to share savings with the insurer, or are risk-based (meaning Cornerstone is responsible for keeping the cost of care below a portion of the premium dollar). In addition, Cornerstone participates in the federal Medicare Shared Savings Program as an ACO, recently receiving recognition as one of the top 25 performing ACOs in the country on quality measures in 2014.
CHESS Business Development Officer John Walker said, “The partnership with ARHS will focus on analyzing data to identify populations of patients, particularly those with chronic conditions (such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease), then developing targeted programs designed to improve the health and quality of life of these patients. We also will use data to identify patients with gaps in care (those requiring check-ups and screenings), and assist ARHS in fine-tuning its outpatient model of care to focus on early intervention, prevention and reduced hospitalizations.”
ARHS and CHESS are beginning the process of developing programs and initiatives at ARHS’s outpatient practices to make an immediate and sustainable impact on the delivery of care at these facilities. “We look forward to working with the providers and staff at ARHS, and achieving positive outcomes for the patients of the High Country,” said Walker. “Patients receiving high quality care at a lower price is a win for them, the health system and the community.”
ABOUT CHESS
CHESS is a physician-managed healthcare services company that empowers physicians and health systems to make the transition to value-based medicine, a model where they are financially rewarded for improving the quality of care and reducing the cost of care they deliver to patients. Using advanced analytics to build and measure the success of targeted care models, along with payer contracts that enable physicians to share in cost savings, CHESS creates a healthcare environment that is both patient-centered and clinician-friendly.
CHESS is a joint venture of Cornerstone Health Care, Wake Forest Baptist Health and LabCorp. CHESS is committed to helping healthcare organizations throughout the United States prepare for the future, one in which fee-for-service reimbursements continue to dwindle. Led by a team of medical, technology and business experts who have a deep understanding of what it takes to transition clients into this new value-based world, CHESS offers a single solution that incorporates ALL elements required to successfully make the move to value. For more information about CHESS, visit www.chessmso.com.
ABOUT APPALACHIAN REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
Appalachian Regional Healthcare System, the healthcare leader in the High Country, is comprised of two hospitals – Charles A. Cannon, Jr. Memorial Hospital in Linville and Watauga Medical Center in Boone – a physician practice management group – Appalachian Regional Medical Associates (ARMA) – the Blowing Rock Rehabilitation & Davant Extended Care Center in Blowing Rock – and Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation.
Appalachian Regional Healthcare System stays committed to promoting health in the High Country, enhancing quality of life and simply “making life better.” This charge makes Appalachian Regional Healthcare System the premier healthcare system in this region.
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