Children’s Hospital Colorado’s Pediatric Care Network Ranked Top Among Healthcare Providers

The Pediatric Care Network (PCN) at Children’s Hospital Colorado has both improved care and achieved a lower cost of care for children who are managed by the network.

Created by physicians and Children’s Hospital Colorado in 2017, the PCN helps pediatric healthcare providers prepare for the future of healthcare by establishing pediatric care guidelines, best practices, and utilizes data and analytics to evaluate and improve outcomes. The goal of the PCN is to promote the health and well-being of children and communities through an innovative, collaborative, and coordinated system of pediatric care. 

PCN allows community providers to focus on improving health outcomes

“Being part of the PCN has allowed my practice providers and me to think beyond each individual patient visit,” said Noah Makovsky, MD, Colorado Kids Pediatrics and PCN member. “We consider the longer-term impact on our discussions with patients, whether related to improving health outcomes over time, increasing access and education to decrease patient/family need to access the healthcare system following appointments, or ultimately, considering ways to lower the overall cost of providing this care.”

Highest quality PCN in Colorado

Several insurance providers, including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, have given the PCN the highest quality scorecard of all contracts in Colorado.

In Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield’s scorecard, they define this top group as having “the highest (quality metrics) and lowest Potentially Avoidable ER metric performance for all Value-based Care provider groups in the market for the specific scorecard type and measurement period for each month.” 

Improving both health costs and quality

Cigna states, “The PCN has had success improving both cost and quality under Cigna's Collaborative Accountable Care program. The PCN has a 4.2% lower medical cost trend throughout their measurement year, which means the PCN has been effective at reining in the cost of care. At the same time, the PCN achieved its targets on all six quality measures that Cigna evaluates as part of the pediatric program. The PCN represents a high-quality pediatric network that improves health outcomes for its patients and promotes whole-person health.”

Shen Nagel, MD, Pediatrics West and PCN board member shares, “In the time we’ve been in the PCN, we’ve seen improved immunization rates, better and more consistent care of our asthmatic patients and decreased rates of unneeded emergency room visits, as well as improved follow-up of the visits that do occur.”

Value-Based Care model focuses on outcomes not transactions

The network manages over 100,000 pediatric lives in Value-based Care agreements. Value-based Care is an innovative payment model based on outcomes, rather than transactions. “This new model incentivizes healthcare providers to focus on quality care, rather than volume of care, which benefits the patients,” said Tyler Leishman, vice president of Strategic Provider Integration at Children’s Colorado. “This is a community-driven, highly successful model that is actively reforming care for kids.”

Solving healthcare issues and improving value for Colorado kids

“It is remarkable what we have been able to accomplish with a group of over 33 pediatric practices from around the state,” said Liesl Young, MD, at Pediatrics 5280. “Many would see us as competitors, but we actually come together and work as a team to solve healthcare issues and improve value and cost for kids in Colorado.”

Visit the Pediatric Care Network website at pediatriccarenetwork.org to learn more, find providers, or to become a member.