WakeMed Key Community Care ACO Reports Significant Savings

Raleigh, N.C. (September 15, 2021) – WakeMed Key Community Care (WKCC), a nationally-recognized accountable care organization (ACO) which is a joint venture between WakeMed Health & Hospitals and Key Physicians, continues to achieve measurable improvements in the coordination of care and overall cost savings. In 2020, WKCC achieved significant improvements in quality and a reduction of unnecessary costs equaling approximately $20M for the BCBSNC Blue Premier Program, even amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. BCBSNC Blue Premier is a value-based collaboration between BCBSNC and five major health systems and their ACOs in North Carolina, including WakeMed and WakeMed Key Community Care.

WKCC was created in late 2013 to provide greater value and enhance the quality and coordination of healthcare within the community. In 2019, WKCC was named as one of the top ACOs in the country to watch according to Becker’s Hospital Review. An ACO is a group of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers, who come together voluntarily to give coordinated high-quality care to their patients. Coordinated care helps ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time, with the goal of avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors. Today, WKCC brings together more than 470 primary care providers plus an additional 1,000 specialty care providers - all working together toward a shared goal.

“Since its inception as one of the first accountable care organizations to join BCBSNC on its value journey back in 2016, WKCC has generated nearly $120M in savings for BCBS employers, members and providers,” explains Debi Hueter, WKCC executive director. “More importantly, we’ve made remarkable strides in enhancing the quality of care our beneficiaries receive by using predictive modeling, data and analytics to identify those patients who may need an added level of support to help optimize their health and improve outcomes.”

In simple terms, WKCC supports patients and care teams by identifying gaps in care (i.e. missed screenings, medications, vaccinations, etc.) that could have an impact on health outcomes. At the same time, WKCC’s care management programs are helping care teams reduce or resolve barriers to care and supporting patients in managing their care through patient education, care coordination, and more. The result is healthier patients, which is evidenced by WKCC’s exceptional quality scores across numerous payers - including BCBSNC, Aetna, Cigna, United HealthCare.

“WKCC has seen significant improvements in so many clinical areas, from higher screening rates for breast and colorectal cancers and greater immunization rates for children and adolescents, to higher medication adherence for patients with conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, and lower hospital readmission rates, among many others,” explains WKCC medical director Dr. Rodger Israel. “As WKCC providers, we’ve learned so much about how to improve care over the past eight years, and we continue to get better every day. By combining the use of advanced analytics with better communication and stronger provider relationships across the continuum of care, we’re seeing powerful results for our patients.”

About WakeMed Key Community Care:

WakeMed Key Community Care is an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) established to enhance the quality and coordination of health care and reduce the costs of care by providing more value for beneficiaries. ACOs enable medical providers to work closer together to create healthier communities and help Triangle-area patients coordinate their health more effectively. A collaboration between WakeMed Health & Hospitals and Key Physicians, WakeMed Key Community Care brings together a network of more than 470 primary care providers with a leading health system and an additional 1,000 specialty care providers. The partnership is designed to ensure that patients, especially the chronically ill, get the right care at the right time at the right level, while avoiding unnecessary duplication of services and preventing medical errors. It is a limited liability company in which WakeMed Health & Hospitals and Key Physicians are members. For more information, visit www.wakemedkeycc.org.

###

For Additional Information:

WakeMed Health & Hospitals


Kristin Kelly | Phone: 919-350-5921


Email: krkelly@wakemed.org