A low level of trust between payers and providers in healthcare is hindering the shift from fee-for-service to value-based care, according to the 10th Annual Trust Index.
For the study, ReviveHealth collaborated with Catalyst Healthcare Research to develop a unique testing model to measure trust in business-to-business relationships. In 2016, 143 hospital executives and 602 practicing physicians participated in the survey. For the first time, the research firms also extended the survey to 74 health plan executives. In the case of the hospital and health plan executives, respondents were either C-suite executives or play a role in negotiating the managed care contracts that dictate service, delivery and payment models.
Here are seven study findings:
1. Health plan organizations that pay for health services and the organizations and caregivers that provide most of these services have a low level of trust between each other, according to the survey.
2. On a 100-point scale, health plan executives have a higher level of trust in providers (67.6) than either physicians (55) or hospitals (54.1) have in health plans.
3. Health plan executives expect about 44 percent of 2016 claims will be based on value, while health system executives expect only 13 percent of 2016 revenues from value-based payments, the survey found.
4. The survey found hospital executive trust scores of health plans modestly improved from last year, while physician trust scores of the same plans were down.
5. A health system received the highest aggregate score of 73.3, as ranked by health plan executives, and a health plan received the lowest aggregate score of 40.3, as ranked by physicians and health system executives.
6. Health system executives overall rated trust as a leading factor necessary for achieving value-based care. In fact, 58 percent of health system executives rated “increased trust” as the main driving force towards value, and 48 percent rated “decreased trust” as the main restraining force.
7. Given these findings, researchers concluded, there is significant opportunity for all key partners willing to bridge the gap to help usher in the shift to value-based care.
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