DENVER– Southern California Kidney Consultants (SCKC), the largest nephrology group based in Orange County, California, and Denver-based Strive Health have launched a new partnership to deliver higher-quality, cost-effective kidney care to Medicare beneficiaries in Southern California. Under the partnership, Strive and SCKC share in the financial benefits, management and governance of risk contracts with Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans and Independent Physician Associations (IPAs), with the goal of improving outcomes and reducing costs.
The partnership includes 21 providers, based primarily in Orange County, who serve 5,000 patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). With comprehensive support from Strive, the national leader in value-based kidney care, SCKC aims to prevent the progression of kidney disease.
The CDC estimates that kidney disease affects 37 million adults or 15% of U.S. adults, including more than 38% of those over 65 years old. Kidney disease drives $410 billion of unmanaged annual medical spend, demonstrating the need for payment models that are based on outcomes.
“We know that our dedication to value-based models will make our practice a leader in the community. We evaluated several partners to help us on our journey and are confident that Strive offers the strongest vision, capabilities and team in value-based kidney care. We couldn’t be more excited about what this partnership means for our patients and our practice,” said Dr. Nirav Gandhi of SCKC.
Strive and SCKC have jointly formed a new entity, which contracts with Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans and IPAs to take risk on the outcomes and costs of their kidney patient populations. Strive will provide SCKC with access to data and technology resources, administrative support, management expertise and an interdisciplinary clinical care team that includes nurse practitioners, dietitians, pharmacists, care coordinators and licensed clinical social workers. These team members serve as an extension of the nephrologist’s office and help manage comorbidities, such as diabetes, that can impact a patient’s overall health.
SCKC will also utilize Strive’s proprietary technology platform, which gathers data from hundreds of sources, to gain a holistic view of the patient’s experience. That information can help paint a picture about the risk of hospitalization or progression of disease, helping nephrologists better tailor care to each individual’s needs.
“We’re giving leading nephrology groups the ability to intervene earlier based on data, which enhances the patient experience and makes expensive treatments less necessary. SCKC has leaned into these innovations, and the group and their patients are well-positioned to succeed in the future of kidney care,” said Ben Kuhn, Senior Vice President of Provider Solutions at Strive Health.
Strive manages over 56,000 patients with CKD and ESKD through partnerships with nephrologists and other care arrangements with payors and providers. Earlier in 2022, Strive signed an innovative nephrologist-led partnership with the nation’s largest nephrology group, Nephrology Associates of Northern Illinois and Indiana (NANI).
