eValue8 determines not only whether plans are participating in BTE and Leapfrog programs in the community, but examines which specific measures plans are using to assess and reward the performance of doctors and hospitals. The tool encourages and assesses the level of collaboration among plans in establishing and communicating a common set of measures for providers in the community. Examples of these measures include whether a doctor's patients have been properly advised about how to maintain their health and whether they are following those guidelines. On the hospital side there are measures on both adherence to clinical guidelines and the presence of structural investments like technology that prevent errors from occurring. Questions for PROMETHEUS Payment (a new model for health care payment that rewards hospitals and physicians for providing coordinated high-quality care) center on potentially avoidable costs related to chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

"eValue8 addresses a well thought out set of operating principles for patients receiving behavioral health care, and the process encourages health plans, delivery systems and local communities of purchasers to work together," said Michael Quirk, PhD, director of behavioral health services, Group Health Cooperative, a Puget Sound-based HMO. "Reducing fragmentation at all levels and improving results for people who suffer from chronic conditions, which can be remedied when identified and systematically addressed “ results in healthier people who lead fuller lives."

Francois de Brantes, executive director, Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute (HCI3?„?), the umbrella organization for BTE and PROMETHEUS Payment, commented, "eValue8 incorporates the PROMETHEUS Payment ECR?® (Evidence-informed Case Rate) Analysis Tool to enable participating health plans to report potentially avoidable costs in management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and is expanding to include all ECRs for the 2011 review process. This type of collaboration is critical to the success of payment reform."

SOURCE National Business Coalition on Health