Sutter Health Plus, an affordable HMO health plan that gives people access to many Sutter Health network hospitals and doctors, is proud of the top-performing medical groups in its provider network. Six Sutter-affiliated medical groups were recently recognized by the Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA) for delivering high-quality care and exceptional patient experience during the 2021 measurement year of IHA’s Align. Measure. Perform. Commercial HMO program. Two physician organizations also earned accolades for more effectively managing costs.
“Sutter Health Plus is honored to highlight these outstanding medical groups for their dedicated care of our members,” said Phil Jackson, CEO of Health Plan Partnerships & Products at Sutter Health, who provides executive oversight for Sutter Health Plus. “From primary care to specialty care, in-person visits to telehealth, and prevention to urgent needs; these medical groups are central to our ability to offer physical health, mental and behavioral health, and pharmacy benefits.”
Affordable Care
The Excellence in Healthcare award recognizes physician organizations that achieved strong quality results while also more effectively managing costs. To earn this award, provider organizations must have performance that ranks in the top 50th percentile for clinical quality and patient experience and cost for their commercial HMO population. Only 27 medical groups in California earned an Excellence in Healthcare award for care provided in 2021. Two of the recent honorees were Sutter Health Plus network medical groups:
- Sutter Medical Foundation – Sutter Medical Group
- Sutter Independent Physicians*
*Sutter Independent Physicians contracts with Sutter Valley Medical Foundation to provide care to its HMO patients.
Clinical Quality
IHA considers 21 different indicators when measuring clinical quality, and only medical groups that score in the 90th percentile or above are designated a top-performer in quality. This year, 18 medical groups out of 176 evaluated received “Top 10 percent” awards for clinical quality. Four Sutter Health Plus network medical groups were among the recipients.
- Sutter Medical Foundation – Sutter Medical Group
- Sutter Palo Alto Medical Foundation – Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
- Sutter Palo Alto Medical Foundation – Mills-Peninsula Division/Mills-Peninsula Medical Group
- Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation – Sutter West Bay Medical Group
Patient Experience
IHA examines five different composite metrics to calculate patient experience, and again only those that score in the 90th percentile or above are designated a top-performer. Only 15 medical groups out of 142 evaluated received “Top 10 percent” awards for patient experience, based on care provided in 2021. Four Sutter Health Plus network medical groups were among the recipients.
- Sutter Palo Alto Medical Foundation – Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group
- Sutter Palo Alto Medical Foundation – Mills-Peninsula Division/Mills-Peninsula Medical Group
- Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation – Sutter Medical Group of the Redwoods
- Sutter Gould Medical Foundation – Gould Medical Group
About Sutter Health Plus
Sutter Health Plus serves approximately 100,000 members from the Northern California foothills and the State Capital to Silicon Valley and Santa Cruz County. Members enjoy convenient features through an integrated delivery system, such as access to virtual care, Sutter Walk-In Care, pharmacy home delivery, an online patient portal, and a single number to call for care and coverage needs.
