Michigan Kidney Consultants and St. Clair Nephrology, two of Michigan’s largest independent nephrology practices with locations throughout metro Detroit, have teamed with Denver’s Strive Health to deliver higher-quality, cost-effective kidney care to Medicare beneficiaries in Michigan.
“Strive’s solution is integrated into our practice, which allows our clinicians to adapt for these models while having the support of Strive’s robust infrastructure,” says Dr. Fahd M. Al-Saghir of Michigan Kidney Consultants. “We are confident that this new approach will allow us to improve outcomes, deliver a better patient experience and lower costs.”
Under the partnership, the nephrology groups and Strive take responsibility for the total cost and quality of care for their patients and, in exchange, receive a portion of the Medicare savings they achieve. Strive manages the partnership and provides nephrologists with a unique array of resources designed to enable success in value-based payment models.
Strive will provide the more than 20 offices between the two practices with access to data and technology resources, administrative support, management expertise, and an interdisciplinary clinical care team that includes care coordinators, nurse practitioners, dietitians, pharmacists, and licensed clinical social workers.
The team members serve as an extension of the nephrologist’s office and help manage comorbidities, such as diabetes, that can impact a patient’s overall health.
The Centers for Disease Control estimates that kidney disease affects 37 million adults or 15 percent of U.S. adults, including more than 38 percent of those over 65 years old. Kidney disease drives $410 billion of unmanaged annual medical spend, illustrating the need for payment models that are based on outcomes.
“Taking on risk contracts can be challenging for independent practices that are excellent at patient care, but often lack the resources to make value-based arrangements work,” says Chris Riopelle, CEO and co-founder of Strive Health. “Our comprehensive, wrap-around services and technology allow providers to offer more holistic care and better position themselves for success in new payment models.”
Dr. Jukaku Tayeb of St. Clair Nephrology says: “The convergence of risk-based nephrology models and the infrastructure provided by Strive presents a significant opportunity for our practice to grow, diversify and lead in the next generation of kidney care.”
