Health and Fitness : Virginia Gay Hospital Joins Innovative Patient Care Consortium

To better serve Benton County, Virginia Gay Hospital has agreed to participate in the National Rural Accountable Care Organization Consortium – an initiative intended to improve the health of our senior citizens.

Vinton, January 1, 2015 – Virginia Gay Hospital has announced that it has joined an innovative program intended to help members of our community stay well, and navigate the complexity of our healthcare system when services are needed. The new program is called the National Rural Accountable Care Consortium that, as the name states, is tailored especially for rural areas like Benton County.

Mike Riege states, “We are very excited to work with our medical community to assist our most vulnerable senior citizens seek care when they need it as well as maintain them in their homes whenever possible. Virginia Gay Hospital will be hiring a Care Coordinator to work closely with doctors and community resources to assist these citizens to stay healthy, secure care when needed, and avoid repetitive tests. In general, we will help them navigate the complex healthcare system.”

The National Rural Accountable Care Consortium creates “collaborative” ACOs in rural areas. This permits several healthcare organizations to combine to satisfy the minimum 5000 beneficiary requirement for an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) to participate in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. The innovative model permits small rural facilities a cost-effective and practical way to participate in the ACO model, which will position the healthcare system for sustainability into the future. The National Rural Accountable Care Consortium’s participants include a diverse cross-section of healthcare providers across the country. These include Rural and Critical Access Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and independent physician practices.

The National Rural Accountable Care Consortium has grown from nine communities in three states in 2014, to 30+ communities in nine states in 2015, including Virginia Gay Hospital a participant in National Rural Accountable Care Organization II (NRACOII).

“Mike Riege, the CEO of Virginia Gay Hospital,” said Lynn Barr, National Rural Accountable Care Consortium founder, “has demonstrated true community leadership in embracing this new approach to healthcare delivery.”

Program activities include training Care Coordinators to provide additional services to the most vulnerable patients, promotion of population health and wellness, and improving quality, customer service, and patient satisfaction.

If you are a Medicare patient, you may hear from your primary care provider, in order to schedule a free Annual Wellness Visit (no copay), or you may receive a notice in the mail.

For more information please contact Vinton Family Medical Clinic, 319-472-6300.

Additional information about the Medicare Shared Savings Program is available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/sharedsavingsprogram/