W. (Andrew) Cousin, Jr., FACHE, Featured in Definitive Healthcare Panel on Value-Based Care

By Suzanne Ferguson • October 10, 2019

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W. (Andrew) Cousin, Jr., FACHE, Mayo Collaborative Services Senior Director of Strategy, was recently featured in a Definitive Healthcare panel on value-based care. The purpose of the panel was to provide insight into how some health care systems are paving the way for value-based care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services define value-based programs as programs that “reward health care providers with incentive payments for the quality of care they give to people.”

According to Cousin, value-based care within the laboratory is delivering better care at a lower cost. As he states, the data is showing that around 20 to 30 percent of laboratory testing is ordered incorrectly, so it is important to address proper utilization of test ordering. Within the department, there have been over 2,000 evidence-based ordering rules developed to help drive down cost confusion and help eliminate waste.

Cousin went on to share, “We recognize that value-based care in some way, shape, or form will be disruptive to our practitioners. We want these providers to understand clearly what we are trying to achieve with our value-based care initiatives in the laboratory because it is going to be a change to their works flows and they need to understand in addition to that what they are being measured on, how they are being measured and then how that additional effort or disruption is going to be a positive improvement to both practice and payment.”

Listen to the full panel on the Definitive Healthcare site.

Suzanne Ferguson

Suzanne Ferguson is a Marketing Channel Manager at Mayo Clinic Laboratories and has worked at Mayo Clinic since 2014. Outside of work, Suzanne can be found traveling, reading and spending time with her family.