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Primary care is at a crossroads. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many primary care practices found themselves struggling to survive amid substantial uncertainty. While the pandemic created many challenges for the healthcare system, it also established a unique opportunity and an even greater urgency for payment and care delivery redesign changes that lead to a sustainable and equitable primary care system. Achieving real, sustainable change for primary care in the post-pandemic world will require innovative thinking and clear-headed vision.
MHQP has always had an interest in a thriving primary care system that serves as an effective and efficient front door to the healthcare system, and we have rededicated ourselves to this effort during this challenging year. When MHQP’s Board of Directors met in June 2020 to discuss the organization’s strategic direction, the Board overwhelmingly endorsed making the strengthening of primary care one of MHQP’s strategic imperatives.
MHQP is uniquely positioned to help advance the future of primary care. As a neutral coalition of stakeholder groups, MHQP can bring providers, health plans and patients together to solve challenging problems such as this that none can solve alone. While we understand this issue is deeply-rooted in longstanding traditions, patterns and policies, we are determined to do what we can to preserve the future of primary care.
Here is a list of the posts on this site related to MHQP’s activities on the future of primary care:
It’s Time to Better Understand and Address Disparities in Patient Experiences
By Barbra G. Rabson
(July 2022)
The pandemic has shown us that we are not doing enough to equally promote health for people of all races and ethnicities. Given that there are well-known and researched disparities across all aspects of care, it may not surprise you to learn that Black, Hispanic and Asian
MHQP Confirms Significant Drop-Off in Key Preventive Care Measures During the Pandemic
(May 2022) Alarming declines in cancer screening procedures, routine tests for patients with diabetes, and childhood immunizations recorded
Data released today by MHQP confirm what many providers and policymakers feared – that preventive care declined during the pandemic, especially for procedures that required patients to visit a clinical setting in person.
Community-Wide Care Coordination Program Better Supports Kids with Behavioral Health Needs
(March 2022) MHQP Patient Experience Award Winner, MACONY Pediatrics, Leads the Effort.
It started back in 2015, well before anyone at MACONY Pediatrics had ever heard of the MHQP Patient Experience Awards. Healthcare and social service providers in and around Great Barrington, Massachusetts, were seeing a steady rise in behavioral health issues among
Despite Expected Setbacks from the Pandemic, Massachusetts Primary Care Practices Still Improved Patient Experiences in 2021
(March 2022) MHQP’s Statewide Patient Experience Survey Shows Unsurprising Losses Paired with Impressive Gains During the Pandemic
Despite the enormous challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Massachusetts primary care practices were able to collectively improve experiences for their patients on several key metrics in 2021 as compared to 2019, based on the results
MHQP Releases Updated Clinical Guidelines with Renewed Focus on Health Equity
(February 2022)
MHQP has released its updated Clinical Guidelines for 2022. This year, the Guidelines are once again highlighting opportunities for clinicians to reduce inequities in care by improving screening for high-risk populations.
At a time when the pandemic has caused a sharp decrease in routine cancer screenings, and policies that aim to ensure equitable access to appropriate care
MHQP Announces Winners of 2021 Patient Experience Awards
(January 2022)
MHQP has announced the winners of the 2021 “MHQP Patient Experience Awards.” MHQP introduced this award program in 2018 as a way to recognize the primary care practices that perform highest on its annual Commercial Patient Experience Survey, the only statewide survey of patient experience in primary care in Massachusetts.
The
Are Severe Staffing Shortages the “Long COVID” for the Healthcare System?
By Barbra G. Rabson
(October 2021)
COVID-19 has disrupted our healthcare system in unimaginable and incalculable ways. While we hope that we may soon emerge from the intense burden created by the crisis, the long-lasting impacts of the pandemic are just beginning to come into focus. One of these long-lasting impacts – an
The Value of Primary Care: How Come They See It and We Don’t?
By Barbra G. Rabson
(July 2021)
In May, the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) issued an important new report called Implementing High-Quality Primary Care: Rebuilding the Foundation of Health Care. It received very little attention.
This was extremely worrisome for us at MHQP because, as an organization that has been measuring
MHQP Offers Important Webinar: Primary Care at a Critical Crossroads
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many primary care practices found themselves struggling to survive amid substantial uncertainty. Yet, last month, when the National Academy of Medicine issued its new report, Implementing High-Quality Primary Care: Rebuilding the Foundation of Health Care, it received very little attention.
On June 29, 2021, MHQP hosted
Primary Care’s Value Proposition and the Damage Done by the Pandemic
By Barbra G. Rabson
(April 2021)
MHQP has been measuring and publicly reporting about quality and patient experiences in primary care for nearly two decades. Never before have I known a moment such as this when I worry for the future of primary care in our state.
MHQP first began to investigate the health