Author: Britt Newsome, MD
Colorado Kidney Care & Evergreen’s EPLC President
When our practice first connected with Evergreen Nephrology in 2021, we were looking for a partner with a shared vision for transforming kidney care. After evaluating several organizations, Evergreen was the clear choice because of its commitment to patient-centered care, belief in the essential role physicians play in value-based care (VBC), and strong data capabilities.
Today, we work alongside Evergreen to support VBC through Medicare Advantage contracts and participation in CMMI’s Comprehensive Kidney Care Contracting model. Our partnership is grounded in a commitment to improving outcomes and better supporting people living with kidney disease. That alignment ultimately inspired me to become more involved with the Evergreen Physician Leadership Council (EPLC), where I have served as president-elect for the past year
The EPLC is a nephrology-led advisory body that works in collaboration with Evergreen’s Executive Leadership Team to provide guidance on clinical, operational, and financial matters. Our role is to help ensure decisions remain grounded in the realities physicians and patients face every day. We contribute to everything from clinical and financial strategy to advocacy efforts.
Evergreen has built partnerships with leading nephrology groups in the country, and it’s an honor to work alongside physicians who share a commitment to improving kidney care. What excites me most about stepping into the role of President is the opportunity to strengthen alignment between Evergreen’s priorities and those of our physicians, because at their core, they’re the same. It reflects a commitment to advancing physician leadership and strengthening collaboration across the Evergreen network.
Longer term, I look forward to continuing to demonstrate how physicians, care teams, and partners can work together to improve outcomes for people living with kidney disease—and serve as a model for value-based kidney care more broadly.
The Role of Collaboration in Value-Based Care
The accumulation of many experiences throughout my career has shaped my leadership philosophy. I’ve come to believe that every individual on a team can serve as a leader. A team operates best when all members take ownership of their individual domains, rather than deferring leadership to a single person or title.
That kind of shared leadership is essential to value-based care. Successful VBC programs depend on physicians, care teams, hospital systems, and other partners working together to improve patient outcomes. This coordination is especially important in kidney care, where patients often navigate complex health challenges across multiple care settings.
Physicians bring an important perspective to this work because we often care for patients across their health journey, from outpatient visits and hospital stays to dialysis care.
However, no single discipline can address every challenge a patient may face. The most effective VBC models bring together physicians, advanced practice providers, care managers, behavioral health specialists, social workers, technology teams, and others to provide more connected, comprehensive care.
Every member of the team has an important role to play. When we combine our expertise, share information, and take collective ownership of patient outcomes, we can accomplish far more than any one person or discipline could independently.
Creating Meaningful Connections with Patients
VBC models provide care teams with the partners, structure, and flexibility to identify challenges early and connect patients with the support they need.
This approach has made an impact on our practice. In one case, a patient’s schizophrenia had gone undetected despite standard PHQ-9 and PAM screenings. It was only through the deeper, more sustained engagement that VBC enables that we were able to properly diagnose him. In another instance, our interdisciplinary team conducted a home visit and discovered the patient was actually living out of his truck, charging his phone at a fast-food restaurant, and completely out of oxygen. Because we had flexibility and team support, we were able to step in and help him. These are the kinds of patients a traditional fee-for-service model would likely never reach.
Supporting the Future of Kidney Care
Over the next few years, I see several opportunities to further improve care and better support for patients with kidney disease.
Earlier identification and intervention will remain critical. By diagnosing chronic kidney disease sooner and helping patients before they experience significant progression, we have a great opportunity to improve their long-term health.
Data and technology will also continue to play a role in supporting care teams. When physicians have timely insights into patient risks and outcomes, they can make more informed decisions and intervene proactively.
Most importantly, we must continue strengthening collaboration across the healthcare system. Patients benefit when care teams are connected and physicians can coordinate care across outpatient clinics, dialysis centers, and hospital settings.
As EPLC President, I look forward to helping physician leaders learn from one another, share best practices, and continue advancing innovative approaches to value-based kidney care. By bringing together clinical expertise, technology, and interdisciplinary collaboration, we can continue building a healthcare model that better serves our patients and communities.
