Value-based Virtuosos Steve Neorr and Dr. David Grapey of Cone Health join UpStream Healthcare

GREENSBORO, N.C., March 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mr. Steve Neorr, Senior Vice President, Population Health, and Dr. David Grapey, Chief Clinical Officer, Triad HealthCare Network ("THN"), part of Cone Health, are joining UpStream Healthcare, the fastest growing value-based, primary care MSO in the country as UpStream's Chief Operating Officer and Chief Medical Officer respectively.  Neorr and Grapey have been involved in leading advanced value-based care models for over a decade and their transition to UpStream will allow them to continue to partner with Cone Health (who are in a services agreement with UpStream) to improve care for seniors in the community, while expanding their reach across UpStream's growing network within North Carolina and beyond. UpStream recently announced its partnership with North Carolina's Community Care Physician Network, CCPN, as its value-based Medicare program.

Steve Neorr joined Cone Health in 2011 and led an important effort along with Dr. David Grapey, who was part of the original steering committee focused on clinical integration. Their work helped create Triad HealthCare Network, the accountable care organization ("ACO") affiliated with Cone Health, which has become one of the most successful ACOs in the country. They also contributed to the development, growth and success of HealthTeam Advantage, Cone's own Medicare Advantage insurance company, one of only two 5-star plans in the state. THN as a network through its ACO has ranked among the top in total savings and has consistently produced top tier quality scores. THN joined the newest, most advanced Medicare ACO model – the Direct Contacting Model, that is being replaced by the ACO REACH model.

"Steve and Dave are incredibly talented and experienced healthcare leaders whom I have personally known for several years," announced company founder and chief strategy officer, Fergus Hoban. He added, "They are coming in at a time when our CEO, Dr. Sanjay Doddamani, is assembling a stellar team of nationally acclaimed experts." These include recently appointed company CFO and industry veteran Tom Tran, who formerly led Molina Healthcare as CFO among others.

Cone Health CEO, Dr. Mary Jo Cagle said, "I want to personally thank Steve Neorr and Dr. Grapey for their accomplishments during their tenure. We look forward to continuing to work with them while we build on the past ten years of our community efforts and continue our transformational journey in value-based care, to meet the growing needs of seniors in our communities."

Dr. Sanjay Doddamani, UpStream's CEO and co-founder welcomed Mr. Neorr and Dr. Grapey saying, "I am simply delighted to have a value-based virtuoso duo in Steve and Dave to lead our operations and clinical programs. They have proven experience successfully leading ACOs and clinically integrated networks in Medicare and Medicare Advantage." 

"I am humbled by the emotional and heartfelt acknowledgements from my colleagues, staff and physicians associated with Cone Health and Triad HealthCare Network," Neorr said, adding, "I am excited to take on this next phase as UpStream COO so that we can scale what we know works to enable primary care physicians be successful in value-based care."

"As a physician, I know first-hand, many of the struggles faced by primary care physicians, caring for older, sicker patients without adequate resources," stated Dr. David Grapey. "Joining UpStream as CMO will give me the opportunity to better support these doctors and their senior patients while providing powerful financial incentives for better quality and outcomes, not only in North Carolina but across the country." 

About UpStream and Cone Health's Services Agreement: In November 2021, Cone Health, THN and UpStream Healthcare executed a five-year affiliation to continue their successful journey in value-based care. UpStream Healthcare is a managed services organization providing physicians with the support and systems they need to provide chronic care management (CCM) services to their Medicare and Medicare Advantage patients. This affiliation will bring a growing team-based advanced primary care model to enable THN to preserve its independent and CHMG primary care physician base through market-leading value-based incentive payments while reducing Cone Health's financial risk.

About UpStream Healthcare
UpStream Healthcare Company is a billion-dollar, global risk, managed services organization providing physicians with the support and systems they need to improve healthcare for seniors. To achieve this, UpStream embeds a powerful support platform that facilitates physicians, pharmacists, and nurses to work together in primary care practices to achieve better outcomes and value.

About Cone Health
Cone Health is a national leader in quality, service, and cost. The integrated health care network consists of Alamance Regional Medical Center, Annie Penn Hospital, Cone Health Behavioral Health Hospital, The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, Wesley Long Hospital, Cone Health Medical Group, MedCenter High Point, MedCenter Kernersville, MedCenter Mebane, MedCenter for Women, Triad HealthCare Network, HealthTeam Advantage and various outpatient clinics and programs. More than 13,000 exceptional people provide exceptional care to the people of Guilford, Alamance, Rockingham, Forsyth, Caswell, and Randolph counties in North Carolina.

SOURCE UpStream Healthcare