Medtronic and Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealthcare partnered for a value-based program centered on improving outcomes for patients with diabetes, and initial results found the program improved outcomes and reduced hospital admissions, HIT Consultant reports.
Here's what you should know:
1. The program provided Medtronic insulin pumps to UnitedHealthcare members with Type 1 diabetes. Researchers compared their outcomes to members who received multiple insulin injections daily.
2. More than 6,000 members received the pumps. After one year, patients with the pumps experienced a 27 percent decline in preventable hospital admissions compared to the injection group.
3. The results were the first of a multiyear initiative by UnitedHealthcare and Medtronic. The organizations will continue evaluating quality of care and cost.
4. With the success of the program, UnitedHealthcare continues pursuing value-based initiatives. By the end of 2020, UnitedHealthcare expects to have $75 billion in value-based contracts.