St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network (SLUHN) shared $40 million in savings with the Federal Government as a reward for controlling costs in the Lehigh Valley while providing high quality medical care to Medicare patients in 2023.<\/p>\n
St. Luke\u2019s takes prides in its well-deserved reputation as the #1 health system in the Lehigh Valley. News of the savings, which was published in a recent government report, is further data-driven objective proof that St. Luke\u2019s achieves the best clinical results in the region.<\/p>\n
St. Luke\u2019s was paid 40% of the Medicare savings because it achieved a high quality score while providing cost-effective care to older and disabled patients. St. Luke\u2019s is the only health network in the Lehigh Valley to receive a payment from the Medicare Shared Savings Plan (MSSP), which is administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).<\/p>\n
\u201cSt. Luke\u2019s has earned the distinction of being the only health care network in the Lehigh Valley to earn a MSSP payment,\u201d says Christina Lewis, Executive Director of St. Luke\u2019s Care Network. \u201cThe Network achieved this remarkable accomplishment by keeping costs lower than expected while also delivering high quality care.\u201d<\/p>\n
An accountable care organization (ACE) comprises physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, other clinicians, as well as hospitals and other healthcare facilities that come together voluntarily to provide high-quality, cost- efficient care to Medicare and Medicaid patients.<\/p>\n
St. Luke\u2019s formed its ACO in 2018, which today includes roughly 2,000 physicians and advanced practitioners, both employed by SLUHN and independent community offices, serving 42,000 Medicare patients who selected primary care physicians participating in the ACO. Since 2018, St. Luke\u2019s has saved Medicare a total of $121 million.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis recognition and shared-savings reflect our providers\u2019 commitment to collaboration and evidence-based medicine as we control costs by providing the right care in the right place and at the right time,\u201d Lewis said.<\/p>\n
St. Luke\u2019s initiatives that improved care while reducing costs include the following:<\/p>\n
The CMS MSSP was started in 2013 to stem the continuously increasing cost of healthcare in the U.S. while maintaining a focus on the delivery of high-quality care. Benchmarks for the MSSP include both expected total cost of care, based on the complexity of the population served, and quality measures compared to peer providers.<\/p>\n
St. Luke\u2019s has received reimbursement for four years in a row \u2013 the only network in the Lehigh Valley to do so.<\/p>\n
For more information on the CMS MSSP, go to:\u00a0https:\/\/www.cms.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/medicare-shared-savings-program-continues-deliver-meaningful-savings-and-high-quality-health-care<\/a>.<\/p>\n About St. Luke\u2019s<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 1872,\u00a0St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0(SLUHN) is a fully integrated, regional, non-profit network of more than 20,000 employees providing services at 15 campuses and 350+ outpatient sites.\u00a0 With annual net revenue of $3.4 billion, the Network\u2019s service area includes 11 counties in two states: Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, Bucks, Carbon, Montgomery, Monroe, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties in Pennsylvania and Warren and Hunterdon counties in New Jersey. St. Luke\u2019s hospitals operate the largest network of trauma centers in Pennsylvania, with the Bethlehem Campus being home to St. Luke\u2019s Children\u2019s Hospital.<\/p>\n Dedicated to advancing medical education, St. Luke\u2019s is the preeminent teaching hospital in central-eastern Pennsylvania.\u00a0 In partnership with Temple University, the Network established the Lehigh Valley\u2019s first and only four-year medical school campus.\u00a0 It also operates the nation\u2019s oldest School of Nursing, established in 1884, and 52 fully accredited graduate medical educational programs with more than 500 residents and fellows. In 2022, St. Luke\u2019s, a member of the Children\u2019s Hospital Association, opened the Lehigh Valley\u2019s first and only free-standing facility dedicated entirely to kids.<\/p>\n SLUHN is the only Lehigh Valley-based health care system to earn Medicare\u2019s\u00a0five-star<\/em>\u00a0ratings (the highest) for quality, efficiency and patient satisfaction.\u00a0 It is both a Leapfrog Group and Healthgrades\u00a0Top Hospital<\/em>\u00a0and a Newsweek World\u2019s\u00a0Best Hospital<\/em>.\u00a0 The Network\u2019s flagship University Hospital has earned the\u00a0100 Top Major Teaching Hospital<\/em>\u00a0designation from Fortune\/PINC AI 10 years in a row, including in 2023 when it was identified as THE #4 TEACHING HOSPITAL IN THE COUNTRY.\u00a0 In 2021, St. Luke\u2019s was identified as one of the\u00a015 Top Health Systems<\/em>\u00a0nationally.\u00a0 Utilizing the Epic electronic medical record (EMR) system for both inpatient and outpatient services, the Network is a multi-year recipient of the\u00a0Most Wired<\/em>\u00a0award recognizing the breadth of the SLUHN\u2019s information technology applications such as telehealth, online scheduling and online pricing information. \u00a0The Network is also recognized as one of the state\u2019s lowest-cost providers.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Information provided to TVL by: St. Luke\u2019s University Health Network (SLUHN) shared $40 million in savings with the Federal Government as a reward for controlling costs in the Lehigh Valley while providing high quality medical … Continue reading Only One Network in Region Earns Medicare Shared Savings Payment<\/span>
\nSam Kennedy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"