Eye Care Communications, Part 4

Continued from Part 3 ... 


Last week, we looked at EMRlogic's National Eye Care Communications Project, understanding what this project is and why we need it. We began by looking at it through the eyes of a new and very important pilot project, the Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) Initiative. We discussed the importance of pilot projects and of ECP involvement in them. We looked again at the big picture: primary care and the Medical Home model. Today, we conclude with the role that the NECC Project plays in helping you transform the culture of your practice.

Practice Transformation

An important term used on the CMS Innovation website is “practice transformation”. For example, from page 13 of the participant solicitation guide for the CPC Initiative (italics ours), 

“The Innovation Center is working with national experts in practice transformation and primary care to develop resources and activities to support the CPC Initiative practices in achieving the aims of the program … Just as importantly, the market-based learning communities will help practices to set up a routine schedule of testing and implementation of changes to support the fundamental transformation required for comprehensive primary care.”

Another significant aspect of the NECC project is to assist local eye care providers in the process of the culture change – practice transformation – required to be a participant in a team delivery system, as compared to thinking the way we have traditionally thought as independent private practitioners under a fee-for-service system.  Providers in any area of medicine who have participated in structured team delivery understand that team-based care is a “culture change” that requires a redefining of your role as a health care provider.  This paradigm shift is not done overnight; it takes time and effort.  

The collaboration mechanism of NECC Project allows providers to discuss issues, share ideas, brain storm, test concepts and work through this process with like-minded providers doing the same. One of the values of this collaborative process is creating a portfolio for each provider that answers the question, “what do I bring to a team?”  Traditional issues such as doing a great exam, having all the right equipment, and writing a letter to the primary care physician on every diabetic patient are just givens on a chronic care team. You are not going to get on a team if you don’t do and have those things. What teams are looking for is providers who understand what it means to share the responsibility that every patient gets the best possible outcomes. That goal is achieved only by utilizing every resource from every provider on the team with a process in place to drive continuous improvement.  This fascinating process opens many doors for independent eye care providers. It offers whole new levels of capability to a local team, capabilities the team doesn’t know exist unless you show them. The NECC Project will help you embrace those concepts and capabilities and see the new possibilities emerging with these new delivery systems.

In summary, just as your state and national associations are working diligently to make sure eye care is involved in the new delivery and reimbursement models, the NECC Project asserts that you need to be equally diligent in your local community. Position and prepare your practice, be involved in shaping the delivery system as it emerges in your local community.  Additionally, the NECC Project strongly encourages all participants to stay in close communications with your state association. It is important for them to know what you are doing and finding locally, and important for you to know what they are doing on your behalf at the state level.


Alistair Jackson, M.Ed.
Jim Grue, O.D.