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Bupa launches physiotherapy network
1 July 2009
Bupa Health Insurance has launched a national network of more than 3,000 physiotherapy providers offering patients high-quality and cost-effective care. All physiotherapists have signed up to a more consistent approach to treatment and charges and a programme of clinical audit.
Steven Pink, head of provider relations at Bupa Health Insurance said: "Our network has been designed to address unwarranted variation* in the average number of physiotherapy sessions, treatment time and cost per treatment by applying a more consistent approach to quality, service and value. We are now able to offer our insured customers access to a network of providers that fulfils these criteria and should reduce the average cost of physiotherapy treatment by up to 10 percent over the next couple of years.
“We are delighted with the response from physiotherapists, both large groups and independent practitioners – all of whom have fulfilled our clinical quality, service and cost criteria. We have already delivered the majority of the quality improvements and savings we set out to achieve which is great news for our customers. Many of them will now find that they do not use up their out-patient physiotherapy benefit as quickly. And because network providers have committed to direct settlement with Bupa, patients can focus on getting well without the inconvenience of paying for treatment themselves and claiming the money back from Bupa afterwards,” he said.
Following an extensive review which highlighted differences in the number of physiotherapy sessions for customers with the same condition and variation in the cost of treatment, Bupa invited physiotherapists and practices to take part in a national tender to assess the quality and cost of care and the average number of sessions Bupa insured customers receive. The review highlighted a variation of more than 200 percent in the cost of a physiotherapy session and that treatment was not always delivered consistently with a significant difference in the number of physiotherapy sessions received by Bupa insured customers with similar conditions – varying from one to 16. This caused some customers to use their available cover sooner than others.
“There will occasionally be clinical reasons for some variation in treatment and our tender process, as well as the contracts we are agreeing with physiotherapists, reflect this. It is the unwarranted variation that we are seeking to reduce,” said Bupa’s Steven Pink.
“As we approach the conclusion of our network roll-out we will be advising previously recognised Bupa providers who did not participate in the tender that funding will no longer be available for the treatment of Bupa customers. We have established a significant number of contracted provider relationships which we hope will continue for many years to come.” he said.
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