 This physician practice teams up with its hospital to bring the best to their community.
Successful provision of quality healthcare to a diverse urban community takes a strong commitment, unique collaborations, knowledgeable providers, and a sense of ownership. When Downtown Bronx Medical Associates (DBMA) was formed in July 2000 to contract with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation to provide services at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, that was the message its physicians wanted to convey. City hospitals are uniquely poised to provide culturally competent, quality healthcare.
 Peter Gordon, Executive Director
“It’s a true partnership,” continued Peter Gordon, executive director. “DBMA is a complete multi-specialty group. We have roughly 500 physicians on payroll.” Many of its physicians have a long-term commitment to Lincoln. When the opportunity to contract directly with the city presented itself, the physicians formed their own professional corporation. Eight years later, except for few private subspecialty groups, almost all of the group practice’s physicians are full-time employees.
DBMA’s physicians have enabled the hospital to obtain stroke center designation and accreditation for its cancer center, in addition to developing new programs such as a palliative care service and patient-care safety program. The alignment between the physicians and Lincoln Hospital’s administration has made it possible for the two entities to make their mark in patient safety and satisfaction.
For example, the department of health releases statewide hospital rankings comparing hospital quality throughout New York. Lincoln is consistently ranked high in quality outcomes for appropriate care for heart failure, heart attack, surgical site infection prevention, and pneumonia. DBMA and Lincoln have received many awards and commendations for clinical services.
“We share common goals,” said Gordon. “We’re in alignment with our mission, and we have a high degree of respect for each other. We recognize that we need to work together to be successful.”
Reaching out
One of the greatest challenges facing DBMA is a changing environment. Because the majority of its physicians are full-time employees, its patient base is dependent on the ED. “Our ED is a Level I trauma center and one of the busiest in the nation. Greater than 90% of our patients are admitted from the ED,” Soni said. “To continue to grow, we need referrals from community-based physicians.”
DBMA is working with Lincoln on a new initiative to reach out to community providers and examining the possibility of establishing its own satellite offices to retain and add to its patient base.
To boost its viability in a highly competitive market, DBMA developed Phy-Care Solutions, a revenue cycle management company with a global footprint. DBMA, through Phy-Care, invested in and developed its own coding software and implemented a new practice management system. These new systems complement the hospital’s EMR system. In 2006, its network, Generations Plus/Northern Manhattan Network, of which DBMA is a part, received the Davies Award of Excellence from HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) for its full implementation of the EMR.
“We decided to take more control of our revenue cycle operations, which we used to outsource,” Gordon said. “By having more control, we’ve been more successful and efficient in improving our turnaround times, optimizing our revenue, and reducing our costs.”
For the future
With an institutional review board already in place, DBMA and Lincoln are creating a clinical trials office to bring new research and alternative treatments to its patients. Also in the interest of its patients, DBMA is looking toward a translational model for research in alignment with current NIH and federal initiatives.
Seven years ago, Jose Sanchez, Lincoln Hospital’s executive director, the Network’s senior vice president, and DBMA’s partner, started an annual Urban Health Conference, a forum discussing the phenomenon of disparities in health outcomes among inner city communities of color, the poor, and immigrants. The goal is to provide strategies and proven mechanisms to address disparities in health access and outcomes for the many serious medical conditions experienced by the communities like those served by DBMA.
“Community participation is high, and the event continues to grow each year,” Soni said. “Last year’s keynote speaker was Dr. Richard Daines, commissioner of health for New York and former medical director of Lincoln Hospital.”
DBMA is optimistic toward its continued relationship with Lincoln and its ability to continue to build centers of excellence in patient care and provide high quality medical education, clinical services, training, and research to meet the needs of its South Bronx community.
|
