Fall 2018
Results of our Provider Satisfaction Survey completed in July 2018 show improvement in overall provider satisfaction, with the rate of providers saying they are either completely or somewhat satisfied rising from 59.2% in 2017 to 65.3% in 2018.
Surveying provider satisfaction annually allows Neighborhood to gauge its network providers’ satisfaction with services performed by the Plan. An external survey vendor, Symphony Performance Health Analytics (SPHA), administered the survey and ensured a confidential mechanism for providers to report their experiences with Neighborhood.
We surveyed 1,000 network PCPs and medical specialists between May and July 2018, and 27% responded via mail, telephone or the Internet. Respondents were asked to rate Neighborhood compared to other health plans they work with on a five-point scale: Well below average, Somewhat below average, Average, Somewhat above average or Well above average.
The survey results reveal strengths and some areas for improvement:
- Satisfaction levels improved significantly (p < 0.05) with Provider Network Management, consistency of reimbursement fees with contract rates (accuracy of claims payment), consistency of the formulary over time, and with the number of both specialists and behavioral health providers in Neighborhood’s network.
- Continued improvement in provider satisfaction with their Provider Network Administrator’s ability to answer questions and resolve problems was found as levels climbed from 32.2% in 2015, to 45.8% in 2016, to 48.1% in 2017, and then improved once again to 56.3% in 2018. Performance on this measure exceeded the SPHA Medicaid benchmark in 2018 (46.5%), surpassing the quality improvement goal.
- Overall satisfaction with Neighborhood among responding Pediatricians improved significantly (p < 0.05) from 36.0% in 2017 to 60.5% in 2018, driven by gains in satisfaction with the Plan’s reimbursement, timeliness of claims processing, and with the formulary.
- There were no statistically significant declines in provider satisfaction from 2017 to 2018.
- Opportunities for improvement exist in the following areas: Pharmacy, Claims Processing, and the Behavioral Health network.
Some of the interventions implemented in 2018 to improve provider satisfaction include the following:
- Implemented specialty-specific Provider Advisory Committees to improve provider communication and training, including collaboration on policies and programs that benefit member care, and collaborating on mutually-beneficial goals including cost-effective reimbursement strategies (e.g. Alternative Payment Methodologies)
- Enhanced the Provider Newsletter and the Provider Manual to improve clarity of communication
- Transitioned the provider claims call intake process to a call center operations model, significantly reducing wait times and improving accuracy
Neighborhood’s next Provider Satisfaction Survey will be administered in the spring of 2019.