Identifying Medical Groups’ Capabilities to Better Care for High Cost/High Risk Patients with Complex Needs

Identifying Medical Groups’ Capabilities to Better Care for High Cost/High Risk Patients with Complex Needs

Grantee Organization: The Commonwealth Fund

Term: September 2015 – August 2017


The National Survey of Physician Organizations III (2012-2013) (NSPO3) and the National Survey of Small and Medium-Sized Practices (2007-2009) represent very unique sources of information about medical groups nationally. This project is linking data from these surveys to 2012-2013 Medicare claims data to do cross-sectional (for NSPO3) and potentially longitudinal (NSPO3 vs. NSSMPP) analyses of the relationship between medical group characteristics and care management processes used by groups and the quality and cost of care for patients, focusing especially on complex high cost/high risk patients. Analyses build on and extend the currently funded work of Gerry Anderson and Ashish Jha. The findings will help guide practice redesign efforts at clinical and administrative levels by identifying factors associated with better management of patients with highly complex needs and will also contribute to public policies that promote such efforts.