Richard Merkin Scholar Joins Leaders Discussing Lessons Learned In Payment Reform At Brookings

MARINA DEL REY, Calif., March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Richard Merkin Initiative on Payment Reform and Clinical Leadership and the Engelberg Center for Healthcare Reform at the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC, sponsored a forum discussing the role of policy, education, online tutorials, media and social networks to engage clinicians in better managing quality and costs on February 19, 2014. (http://www.brookings.edu/events/2014/02/19-involving-clinicians-payment-delivery-reform)

Leading off the discussion was Dr. Mark McClellan, Director of the Engelberg Center's Initiative on Innovation and Value in Healthcare at Brookings, followed by Merkin Fellow Dr.Darshak Sanghavi, and Alice Rivlin, Director of the Engelberg Center for Healthcare Reform. A group of national leaders in physician training, education, policy, media, and research joined the discussions, including representatives from the Journal of American Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Doctors for America, The Khan Academy, ABC News and The New York Times.

The Richard Merkin Initiative on Payment Reform and Clinical Leadership was established in 2011 by The Merkin Foundation and Dr. Richard Merkin, President and CEO of Heritage Provider Network. The initiative supports two full time scholars at Brookings to study ways to make critical policy changes replacing the current fee for service system, transitioning to new payment models and increasing leadership skills of clinicians.

"It is critically important that we find new ways to transform payment and care reform that translates to savings for the consumer and overall improved healthcare outcomes," said Dr. Merkin. "Clinicians are at the center of initiating these changes and the work of the Merkin Fellow at Brookings provides new tools for clinicians on the front lines with patients, including engaging social media to develop new opportunities to educate and inform."

"In addition to developing new ideas in healthcare payment reform, a key component of our Merkin Initiative efforts is engaging clinicians in developing and implementing payment reform," said Dr. Mark McClellan, Director of the Engelberg Center's Initiative on Healthcare Innovation and Value. "Clinicians have the most knowledge about how to care for their patients, they have the trust of their patients, and so clinician leadership provides the best foundation for successful healthcare reform."

"We recognize that health policy and reform are complicated topics, even for clinicians who deal with the healthcare system on a daily basis," said Dr. Darshak Sanghavi, Merkin Fellow for Payment Reform and Clinical Leadership. "However, clinicians are well poised to make some of the most important changes to improve the quality of healthcare, the patient experience and the health of our communities. Our partnership with the Khan Academy and broader efforts to engage clinicians and the public via social media and MOOC's will help demystify, educate and empower clinicians to actively change healthcare for the better."

"The Merkin Initiative at Brookings is dedicated to involving clinicians in healthcare policy and encouraging clinician led reforms. We are delighted to partner with the Khan Academy to produce accessible, enjoyable learning tools that we hope will demystify health policy issues for clinicians and the public," said Alice Rivlin, Director of the Engelberg Center for Healthcare Reform. "Those who actually deliver care must be actively involved in creating a higher value health system that results in a healthier America."

The partnership with the Khan Academy offers a series of free, online education tutorials about the US healthcare system and current healthcare reform efforts. Developed by Brookings experts as part of the Merkin Initiative to Advance Clinical Leadership in Delivery and Payment Reform, the tutorials provide insights on such issues as health insurance, prescription drugs, healthcare delivery and reform. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG_BZ8GgqJU&list=PLrI3Iy0dqgpShs60WJkg8Ywgjabdtrg90)

ABOUT HPN: (www.heritageprovidernetwork.com)
Heritage Provider Network, Inc. (HPN) is on the cutting edge of the accountable care model of healthcare delivery: coordinated, patient-doctor centric, integrated health care systems that represent the future of health care in the United States. HPN and its affiliates operate in California, New York and Arizona providing high quality, cost effective healthcare to over 700,000 individuals and are dedicated to quality, affordable health care, and putting patients' wellness first.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140304/LA76007
Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120418/LA89605LOGO-a

SOURCE Heritage Provider Network, Inc.