The recently released 10th Annual ReviveHealth Trust Index™ surveyed hospital and health system executives, practicing physicians, and health plan executives to assess the confidence level between providers and payers. Let's just say if the two groups were participating in a trust fall, everyone would expect to wind up flat on their backs in the floor.
On a 100-point scale, health plans' level of trust in health systems is a little higher (67.6) than the other way around (54.1) ... but everyone involved received failing grades. Brandon Edwards, CEO of ReviveHealth, likened the union of providers and commercial payers to a "shotgun marriage where you are forced together, but not by choice."
He added the low scores within the industry are important because they translate to patients. "The consumer level of trust in the healthcare system is low because the B2B level of trust is low," he stated. And, Edwards continued, "If we don't fix the trust factor on the B2B level, the transition to value will continue to be slower."
"Knowing where you stand is step one to closing the trust gap, " noted Dan Prince, president of Catalyst Healthcare Research, which partnered with ReviveHealth on the national survey.
Edwards added there are examples of successful pilot projects between providers and payers in a number of markets across the country aimed at building better working relationships to the benefit of payers, providers and patients. More information on the Trust Index is available online at NashvilleMedicalNews.com.