As primary care practices seek needed partnerships that can provide administrative infrastructure and access to capital, Optum offers a better alternative than hospital ownership by aligning the interests of patients, physicians and payers.
This is the case because hospitals that own primary care practices have conflicted incentives regarding patients’ treatment and total health care costs. Even if a hospital-based primary care practice earns bonuses by reducing the need for hospitalization, the hospital can earn significantly more through inpatient admissions and referrals to expensive hospital-based services.
Optum’s primary care practices have clear incentives to:
- Keep patients healthy and lower their total costs
- Help clinicians deliver preventive services
- Manage chronic conditions
- Make referrals to high-quality specialists
- Avoid unnecessary and costly interventions
- Reduce the need for hospitalization
Read more about Optum’s primary care services and value-based care ambition, and check out the full reasearch brief.