The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and BMJ have announced a collaboration to create innovative online learning resources that will support clinical teams and health systems in their transition to new payment models. The collaboration was conceived following the establishment of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) in 2011.
As part of this collaboration, the AAMC and BMJ will produce a series of online educational products, entitled Maximizing Value: Payment Models and Care Redesign, that will prepare healthcare organisations and providers facing any type of payment system reform, as well as the quality, cost, and efficiency mandates attached to them. The initial online course from the Maximizing Value suite of e-learning resources, 'Bundled Payments Essentials,' will include online modules (accredited for category 1 CME) that can be viewed individually or as an integrated course. Designed for healthcare professionals, the course will lead participants through interactive online learning modules in which the user progresses from the basics of bundled payments to design, execution, and implementation strategies.
The modules stem from the AAMC's role as a facilitator/convener for 10 institutions participating in the BPCI initiative. Under BPCI, select health organizations agree to enter into payment arrangements that include performance and financial accountability for an episode of care. As a convener, the AAMC provides technical assistance, data analysis, standardisation recommendations, and educational tools to the group.
The AAMC and BMJ will be offering the 'Bundled Payments Essentials' course for limited release this summer. The full collection will be available in the fall of 2013, and will include additional resources such as access to evidence-based clinical guidelines, quality improvement tools, and key research articles. The modules will be available for purchase by institutions or individuals; an institutional license will provide unlimited access to the modules and resources, allowing clinical team members to engage in learning individually or as a group. Healthcare organisations will also be able to share access with external partners across care settings.
