March 14, 2023
A little more than 20 years ago, care delivery in California started to change. Large-scale independent physician associations (IPAs)—such as the subject of this case study—began taking on full-risk commercial contracts. These contracts, similar to more recent Medicare and ACO programs, were meant to improve patient care and reduce overall costs in a densely populated state. Since 2005, one large, California-based IPA has partnered with Labcorp to conduct yearly fecal occult blood test (FOBT) gap closure programs with a proven return track record of 30-40%.
The success of this program is a result of the IPA care coordination team leveraging Labcorp’s data to identify patients with screening gaps and coordinate distribution of FIT testing home kits for patient collection. This made it easier for patients to fulfill screening, particularly in underserved populations.