8 August - 2022By Biljana Simikic, Senior Medical Director, Commonwealth Care AllianceEquitable Primary Care: Breaking Down Barriers for People with Significant NeedsIN MY OPINIONAs the foundation of our healthcare system, primary care is getting renewed focus from government and academic sources to improve population health and create more equitable healthcare outcomes. Despite this renewed focus, seniors and individuals with disabilities continuously face challenges to access primary carean obstacle further exacerbated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges include, but are not limited to, lack of transportation and appropriate physical spaces, provider comfort with complex needs, lack of comprehensive teams, low reimbursement, and short appointment times. While everyone can benefit from a strong relationship with a primary care provider, it is critically essential for seniors and people with disabilities. Older adults are more likely to have a chronic disease, with 60 percent of seniors living with two or more chronic conditions. People with disabilities often have challenges accessing disability-competent care.Data published by the CDC shows that one in four adults with disabilities, who were between 45 to 64 years old, did not have a routine check-up in the past year.Commonwealth Care Alliance® (CCA) operates on the premise that, because of these challenges, the cornerstone of primary care for people with disabilities must center around the actual needs of a patient and not the limitations of a practice. To better serve individuals with complex needs, including those with chronic conditions and physical, intellectual, and behavioral health disabilities, primary care services must be personalized. This approach, practiced by CCA Primary Care, requires that we build relationships based on trust, empower patients through dignity of risk, meet patients--both literally and figuratively--where they are, and develop strategic partnerships that complement the ongoing medical or psychiatric care. It is important to note that our practice exists in a value-based arrangement through an effectively aligned payer-provider relationship, allowing us to utilize the interdisciplinary care team and other services not traditionally supported under fee-for-service reimbursement.This includes supporting our patients with transportation services and access to various community resources. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON TRUSTIndividuals with significant needs can benefit greatly from an integrated care team that is inclusive of primary care providers, physicians and advanced practice clinicians, behavioral health Biljana Simikic
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