Newswise — NEW YORK, NY (October 4, 2021) – Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) and Mount Sinai Health System (Mount Sinai) announced today a new agreement focused on delivering care through new models to lower costs and increase value for people throughout New York City. This latest multi-year agreement continues the longstanding relationship between the two organizations. It features three new care models, which provide Empire members access to Mount Sinai Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3), Mount Sinai Community Paramedicine and Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program (MSVD). Additionally, the new agreement details a plan for Mount Sinai to enhance bi-directional data integration with Empire, as part of Empire’s goal to have 80% of its members connected with real-time Admissions, Discharge and Transfer notifications and better integration of clinical information by the end of 2022.
“We are on a mission to materially and measurably improve the health of all New Yorkers, and we know that during the last year people have become more open to receiving care through a variety of ways, including at home,” said Jordan Vidor, Regional Vice President, Provider Solutions, Empire BlueCross BlueShield. “Today, as part of our mission, we signed a new agreement with Mount Sinai Health System to offer our members more options in terms of when, where, and how they receive care. The new agreement features several innovative value-based care arrangements, with shared incentives to jointly improve the quality of care across our shared footprint.”
As part of this agreement, Empire is now a participating provider in Mount Sinai Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) and Mount Sinai Community Paramedicine. These two care models provide greater flexibility to ambulance care teams to address emergency healthcare needs of Empire’s commercial members, which can result, when appropriate, with treatment-on-scene with or without telehealth. Through the ET3 model, members who call 911 and have Mount Sinai dispatched will have the option to receive care, when medically appropriate, at their home instead of going to the emergency room. Similarly, through the Community Paramedicine model, members who call a doctor at Mount Sinai for care can choose to have a paramedic dispatched to their home to potentially avoid a trip to the emergency room. These two models prioritize patient safety and reduce healthcare costs by reducing costly, avoidable trips to the hospital. ET3 is also available to Empire’s Medicaid members.
Additionally, Empire is also a participating provider in the Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors Program (MSVD), which is an integrated care model focused on homebound members where each member has a dedicated team working together to address clinical and social needs. MSVD delivers primary and palliative care to frail elderly and homebound patients with chronic illness, and is available for qualifying members enrolled in Empire’s Medicare plans.
"We are excited to partner with Empire on a long-term contract that demonstrates an ongoing commitment to improve the quality and affordability of care for Empire members,” said Robert Fields, MD, MHA, Executive Vice President and Chief Population Health Office at Mount Sinai Health System. “This new contract will support innovation in the delivery of care and move us closer to promoting value in a complex environment."
Provider accepts other insurers.
About Empire BlueCross BlueShield in New York
Serving New Yorkers for more than 85 years, Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) is on a mission to materially and measurably improve the health of New Yorkers. Empire is the largest health insurer in New York supporting more than four million members and more than 38,000 business, union and small employers in New York. Empire is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc., independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, serving residents and businesses in the 28 eastern and southeastern counties of New York State. Additional information about Empire is available at www.empireblue.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at @empirebcbs and on LinkedIn.
About the Mount Sinai Health System
The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. We advance medicine and health through unrivaled education and translational research and discovery to deliver care that is the safest, highest-quality, most accessible and equitable, and the best value of any health system in the nation. The Health System includes approximately 7,300 primary and specialty care physicians; 13 free-standing joint-venture centers; more than 410 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island; and more than 30 affiliated community health centers. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked in U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of the top 20 U.S. hospitals and among the top in the nation by specialty: No. 1 in Geriatrics and top 20 in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Neurology/Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology/Lung Surgery, Urology, and Rehabilitation. Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital is ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” among the country’s best in four out of 10 pediatric specialties. New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked among the Top 20 nationally for ophthalmology. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is one of three medical schools that have earned distinction by multiple indicators: ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report's "Best Medical Schools," aligned with a U.S. News & World Report "Honor Roll" Hospital, and No. 14 in the nation for National Institutes of Health funding. Newsweek’s “The World’s Best Smart Hospitals” ranks The Mount Sinai Hospital as No. 1 in New York and top five globally, and Mount Sinai Morningside as top 20 globally, and “The World’s Best Specialized Hospitals” ranks Mount Sinai Heart as No. 1 in New York and No. 5 globally and the Division of Gastroenterology as No. 5 globally. For more information, visit https://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
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