Mapping out MACRA (Part Four)

In post one, two, and three of this series, we discussed the origins of MACRA, its two key components (MIPS and APMs), and how to assess the readiness of your current solution.  In this final post, we will outline the capabilities needed to achieve MACRA readiness from a Health IT perspective.

The following capabilities should be viewed as as prerequisites as the industry makes the MACRA transition.

1. Establish a modern data architecture

Leverage big data technologies to enable a near real-time view of your patients’ interaction with their health neighborhood and a timely view of their medical history.

2. Assess and fix data quality issues

Prioritize patient identifiers and demographic information generated by your practice and exchanged with other entities.

3. Integrate new data sources

With big data technologies, create the technical capability to quickly and easily integrate new data sources that make up your patients’ health neighborhood.

4. Implement data visualization and reporting tools

Ensure information is accessible in the practice and mobile situations to enable providers’ real-time decision making.

5. Establish an analytics infrastructure that complements your EMR

Create a data infrastructure that is complementary and not dependent on your practice’s EMR.

FROM CONCEPT TO CONCRETE

Once you understand what you need to develop a modern IT data infrastructure and the long-term benefits it can provide your practice, it’s time to create a true plan of action for MACRA implementation.

Beyond the technical requirements necessary for closing whatever gaps you’ve identified in your data architecture assessment, now is the time to think through the additional measures required to make your new strategy stick:

• Get buy-in from influencers by involving key stakeholders early in the planning process
• Create a partnership between IT and Finance that encourages cooperation and sets clear responsibilities
• Establish a well-defined objective that translates to agreed-upon business value

Only when your strategy aligns people and processes with clear business value can you expect to reap the full benefit of your data.

THE TIME IS NOW

Now is the time to make sure you are developing a MACRA strategy with a focus on the long-term benefits. This will allow you to identify issues early on and advance your performance scores over the next few years as the potential upside (and downside) grows bigger.

The task sounds daunting, but achieving the level of data acumen needed to properly manage MACRA implementation and respond to the evolving expectations of the industry is doable with a clear strategy in place.

You can find the full MACRA write up HERE. Don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have any further questions about how you can set yourself up for success as the industry shifts into value-based care.