Physicians with Harvard Vanguard have sent patients to Beth Israel, unless the patient has a previous relationship with a physician at Brigham and Women’s, according to the report.
Harvard Vanguard made the decision to use Beth Israel, in part, due to an agreement by the hospital to refer patients back to their primary care physicians after their inpatient stay rather than to keep them in the more expensive hospital system. Beth Israel is also allowing physicians real-time access to the hospital’s medical records.
Atrius Health, the parent system of Harvard Vanguard, is taking a similar approach with other physician groups in Massachusetts. Many of Atrius’ orthopedic referrals are being directed to New England Baptist Hospital from Faulkner Hospital, according to the report.
The movement toward focused, coordinated care at one location may be due to Massachusetts’ switch to a global payment system, which pays a flat annual rate for patient care, from a traditional fee-for-service system, according to the report.
Read the Globe’s report on Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.
