Making risk contracting work in specialty networks

For the next several years, capitation of specialties will increasingly influence contracting arrangements. Specialists and their networks must position themselves to operate in this environment amid a shrinking market for their services and consolidation of delivery systems and accepting capitation can be a necessary step. The specialties that can quantify the costs of specific services within a defined range, and can manage appropriate utilization of those services within acceptable parameters through wellness, patient intervention and disease management techniques, are most likely to be successful in risk contracting. This article presents how to investigate risk contracting in specialty networks and what infrastructure is required for successful risk contracting.