New Survey Tool Assesses Provider Satisfaction with Population Health Management

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new survey tool from DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance allows health plans, disease management companies and other stakeholders to better understand providers' experiences with and attitudes toward population health improvement programs.

DMAA developed the "Provider Satisfaction Survey" because the success of disease management, wellness and other population-based interventions can depend on the satisfaction of providers, who play an important role by referring patients and managing and coordinating patient care. In a recent DMAA market survey, health plans, employers and population health improvement organizations all ranked physician engagement among the three strongest determinants of program success.

"The better we understand provider attitudes toward population health management, the better able we are to make program changes that enhance that relationship and improve patient care," DMAA President and CEO Tracey Moorhead said. "Health care purchasers value patient and provider satisfaction. Our survey provides a simple, validated tool to measure that."

Development of the survey came in two phases, with the first convening diverse provider focus groups to identify the survey's scope and areas of assessment. DMAA translated that feedback into a first draft of the questionnaire, which it pre-tested with providers, who completed the survey and discussed their experiences in one-on-one interviews. The survey examines provider satisfaction with patient reports; program impact on practice and patient relationships; and impact on patient health and the provider's ability to manage patient health.

In 2006, DMAA and J.D. Power and Associates produced a validated participant satisfaction survey, which has been adopted by major health care purchasers and payers nationwide.

DMAA is making the provider survey tool available at no charge to interested parties. To obtain a copy, visit the Publications area of the DMAA Web site.

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About DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance
DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance convenes all stakeholders providing services along the care continuum toward the goal of population health improvement. These care continuum services include strategies such as health and wellness promotion, disease management, and care coordination. DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance promotes the role of population health improvement in raising the quality of care, improving health outcomes and reducing preventable health care costs for individuals with chronic conditions and those at risk for developing chronic conditions. DMAA's activities in support of these efforts include advocacy, research and the promotion of best practices in care management.

DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance represents more than 200 corporate and individual stakeholders—including wellness, disease and care management organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers and benefit managers, health information technology innovators, biotechnology innovators, employers, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, and researchers and academicians. Visit DMAA on the Web at www.dmaa.org.