Participation in Value-Based Payment Programs and U.S. Acute Care Hospital Population Health Partnerships

SUMMARY Goal: The goal of this study was to describe the prevalence and pattern of population health partnerships by hospitals and examine whether these partnerships were associated with different types of payment model programs. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 3,012 U.S. hospitals using data from the American Hospital Association’s Annual Survey, the Area Health Resources File, and the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps data. We ran a multivariable Poisson regression model to examine the relationship between value-based payment designs and the number of population health partnerships. Binary logistic regression models were used to assess whether participation in value-based payment design programs was associated with specific types of population health partnerships. Principal Findings: We found that two thirds or more of hospitals used more informal collaborative partnerships with local or state government, faith-based organizations, and local businesses; formal alliances were most common with health insurance companies and other healthcare providers. Accountable care organizations and bundled payment program participation were associated with greater numbers of population health partnerships, whereas hospital ownership of a health plan was not associated with significantly greater numbers of population health partnerships. Applications to Practice: Hospitals were engaged in an intermediate number of partnerships (mean = 3.5, out of 8.0 possible), with opportunities for more partnerships with specific types of organizations (faith-based organizations, health insurance companies). Our findings also suggest that certain types of payment models, particularly those that are less capital intensive and entail less extensive organizational transformation on the part of hospitals, may support hospital engagement in population health partnerships. Hospital leaders need to monitor these partnerships continually to determine if they can capitalize on opportunities to play a more prominent role in population health management in local communities.