Valley Preferred, the preferred provider organization affiliated with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), has introduced COVID-19 Healthcare Delivery and Transformation. As an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Portfolio Sponsor®, Valley Preferred has integrated this new project into its Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program.
The project’s premise is to document and maximize the contributions of health care workers during this unprecedented time. By attesting to their participation, allopathically boarded physicians and PAs will be awarded credit – ABMS MOC Improvement in Medical Practice (Part IV) or National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) PI-CME – for these accomplishments.
“All physicians and physician assistants became front line quality improvement practitioners during the pandemic because changes were constant,” says John Stoeckle, MD, who heads Valley Preferred’s MOC Portfolio Program™. “Everyone was already doing great work, so we saw this as a perfect opportunity. Clearly, it’s one of the best ways to recognize our professionals’ many outstanding contributions.”
COVID-19 Healthcare Delivery and Transformation is currently active among Valley Preferred’s members. The organization believes the initiative is an excellent model for health system leaders and providers to see work happening in real time versus education from vehicles such as learning modules.
An individual’s work can fall into one of four topic areas:
- Increasing virtual visit workflows
- Increasing COVID-19 testing
- Safe and appropriate PPE acquisition and use
- Safe/appropriate inpatient COVID-19 treatment
The COVID-19 project was developed and put into place quickly as a result of multidisciplinary teamwork. Support was received from every facet of LVHN and Valley Preferred, and from leadership through various other departments. The project’s end goal, in addition to assisting physicians and PAs with needed certifications, is, according to Dr. Stoeckle, “recognizing meaningful professional development and our development of a culture of quality improvement.”
“Valley Preferred is dedicated to creating value for its members first and foremost, whether that involves thinking about well-being, reducing administrative burdens, or working toward the optimal care of patients,” says Dr. Stoeckle. “Our organization saw this project as one that immediately aligns with our values, and took all the necessary steps to actualize it in a timely manner.”