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Through participation in BTE's programs -- Physician Office Link, DiabetesCare Link, Cardiac Care Link and the new Spine Care Link -- employers, healthplans and physicians are working together nationally to improve care processesand systems of care. These efforts are in alignment with the U.S. Departmentof Health and Human Services' (HHS) Value-Driven Health Care initiative. "Icongratulate Bridges to Excellence on achieving this milestone," said HHSSecretary Mike Leavitt. "BTE's many programs are making great strides towardensuring that patients have access to information about the quality of care.Their efforts and those of others to employ the principles of value-drivenhealth care are critical to making our nation's health care system moretransparent -- which will ultimately provide better care at lower costs."
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The State of Georgia is one such collaborative effort that continues tolead by example. "As we work to identify better solutions that provide morechoices, better health and lower cost, Bridges to Excellence is one of theprograms we're implementing," said Newt Gingrich, former U.S. House Speakerand founder of The Center for Health Transformation (CHT). "In keeping withefforts to align private and public sectors to transform the health caresystem, we've teamed up with the State of Georgia to be the first state healthbenefit plan to participate in BTE."
The collaborative efforts ultimately become a critical piece of thestrategic plan for employers. "Bridges to Excellence complements EMC'semployee health management philosophy, which is aimed at helping employees andfamily members manage their health and navigate through the health careenvironment," said Delia Vetter, senior director of Benefits for EMCCorporation and a BTE board member. "The BTE Programs will enable us torecognize and reward quality health care in the communities where we haveemployees, and help us ensure that our employees and their families receivehigh-quality patient-centric care."
Progress state-by-state
Nationally, 19 regions have operational BTE programs, with significantmomentum being gained along the East Coast:
In 2008, Bridges to Excellence is targeting Florida, Pennsylvania andSouth Carolina.
"Since its inception in 2002, BTE has steadily grown and impacted healthcare quality and patient outcomes community by community," said Francois deBrantes, national coordinator for BTE. "With the increasing momentum ofefforts toward value-driven health care nationally, we are encouraged aboutthe future of BTE for rewarding physicians to improve the value and quality ofhealth care."
About Bridges to Excellence
Bridges to Excellence (BTE) is a not-for-profit, coalition-basedorganization created to encourage significant leaps in the quality of care byrecognizing and rewarding health care providers who demonstrate that theydeliver safe, timely, effective, and patient-centered care. BTE works withlarge employers, health plans, providers and a wide range of organizationsthat have a shared goal of improving quality and patient outcomes. BTE is amember of The Partnership for Value-driven Health Care, a group
