What Sets JNJ’s Value-Based Care Offering Apart?

Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies recently announced the launch of CareAdvantage, its answer to the value-based care environment. A top JNJ executive explains why he thinks the company's offering has an edge.

Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies (JJMDC) is jumping feet first into the value-based care environment with its new CareAdvantage offering. The broad program, announced on January 9, aims to help hospital customers achieve the ultimate goal of value-based care: improving outcomes, increasing patient satisfaction, and reducing the cost of care.

According to a company press release announcing the launch, CareAdvantage is designed to offer customers insights in a wide variety of therapy areas, interpretation of patient behaviors in order to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction, and optimization of operations in order to reduce care costs.

Gary Pruden, worldwide chairman of Medical Devices, told MD+DI that hospital customers expect strategic partners like JJMDC to offer "new sources of value." In addition to helping customers achieve the triple aim goal of better outcomes, higher patient satisfaction, and reduced cost of care, CareAdvantage is expected "to improve that connectivity with patients," he said.

While CareAdvantage offers customers capabilities in several therapy areas, including cardiovascular, surgical oncology, obesity, and orthopaedics, JJMDC also introduced its Orthopaedic Episode of Care Approach, part of the CareAdvantage offering, simultaneously. The ortho program acknowledges the new payment models that have already begun affecting joint surgeries.

The Orthopaedic Episode of Care Approach will combine a cloud-based platform for interaction with patients, a focus on the pre- and post-operative setting with the Patient Athlete program, episode data analysis abilities, practices intended to reduce the risk of infection, as well as a program to standardize and improve care for hip fracture patients, according to a press release.

Len Greer, president of Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions, told MD+DI that the company has made significant investments in achieving a deeper understanding of behavior science. The orthopaedic program is intended to help patients have the appropriate knowledge and expectations going into a joint replacement surgery so that afterward, they will be more satisfied with the experience, he explained.

JJMDC isn't the first to offer a solution for the value-based healthcare environment. Last year, Zimmer Biomet announced its Signature Solutions offering and Stryker's Performance Solutions division released its Episode Performance Manager and JointCOACH platform.

When asked about competitive offerings, Pruden said he believes Johnson & Johnson's breadth will be an advantage. Listing all the products needed for a joint replacement surgery, including the implants, sutures, trocars, and other surgical instruments, he pointed out, "Who is the only one who does [all of] that?" Because JJMDC provides hospital customers with those tools, Pruden sees it as being uniquely positioned to work closely with customers throughout the entire process.

JJMDC will have skin in the game, too. As part of the Orthopaedic Episode of Care Approach, JJMDC is allowing customers the option to participate in a Shared Performance Agreement that pertains to the cloud-based patient interaction platform and Patient Athlete program. The agreement "will cover a portion of the target savings if they are not achieved," according to the release. Pruden highlighted this risk-sharing option as a sign of JJMDC's commitment.

Chris Mangin, Physical Medicine director at Willis-Knighton Health System in the Shreveport, LA area, said in the release, "Willis-Knighton is pleased to partner with the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies. We have realized value in many arenas because they understand our unique needs and help in implementing tailored solutions that seek to put the patient first and improve efficiencies across an entire episode of care."

CareAdvantage is available now in the United States and according to the release, will gradually be introduced in other countries around the world as well.

[Image courtesy of HYWARDS/FREEDIGITALPHOTOS.NET]