IOM papers examine COVID-19 lessons for health care payers, clinicians

The National Academy of Medicine yesterday released separate discussion papers examining the experiences of payers and clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, lessons learned and priorities for the sectors going forward. 

According to the paper on payers, priorities for the sector include accelerating the transition to value-based payment; extending flexibilities for virtual health services and capabilities; rethinking benefit design using the principles of value-based insurance; aligning incentives and investments to address health inequities; creating mechanisms for collective action during public health emergencies; and coordinating payment reforms with public health functions. 

According to the paper on clinicians, priorities include investing in clinician well-being; advancing innovations in clinician practice; promoting financial resilience for clinicians; transforming education and training; and developing policies and programs to address health disparities.

The papers are the latest in a nine-part series by NAM on Emerging Stronger after COVID-19: Priorities for Health System Transformation. Leaders from the AHA, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Virginia Mason Health System, HCA Healthcare and America’s Essential Hospitals co-authored a paper last month on the pandemic experiences of hospitals and health systems, and opportunities to leverage the lessons of COVID-19 to support performance improvements to the sector more broadly.