Disparaging Optum is a Disservice to Doctors Who Provide Top Care
Opinion Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s interpretation of facts and data.
As a physician who has dedicated more than two decades to serving patients in the Hudson Valley region, I am disheartened by the implications in a Mar. 18 article that our Optum clinicians and staff are anything other than the hard-working, ethical care professionals we are.
Healthcare in America is changing, and one of the reasons we joined Optum is to make the transition from a traditional fee-for-service model – where providers are paid based on the quantity of services provided – to value-based care where provider incentives are focused on personalized preventative care that results in better health at a lower cost.
The transition from providing healthcare in a fee-for-service environment to one that is value-based is complex and requires hands-on training and education. We routinely engage with clinicians who may be new to value-based care to undertake necessary training to ensure legally compliant, supported coding that results in improved outcomes for patients. The recording you referenced in your Mar. 18 article about Optum was an example of an interactive training session designed to further that aim. Any suggestion otherwise is categorically false.
We aspire to be the best place to work for those who work in healthcare – and the best place to receive care for those who live in our communities. We know there is still work to do, but our goals are clear, and we look forward to providing the clinical expertise and compassionate care patients in the tristate area expect and deserve.
Dr. Jonathan Nasser
President and Chief Medical Officer, Optum Tri-State
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