Great Primary Care Deserves the Spotlight

Primary care is where better health begins.

It’s where a parent brings a child for immunizations, where a physician catches high blood pressure before it becomes a crisis, where someone with diabetes gets the support they need to stay on track, and where prevention becomes real for families in our communities. When primary care works well, patients feel it. So do employers, health plans, and the healthcare system as a whole.

That is why it is so important to recognize the physician practices here in Madison and across Wisconsin that are setting the pace for high-quality, coordinated, patient-centered care.

Anthem recognized several Wisconsin-based primary care practices among the top-performing care providers in the nation through our second annual Care Provider Recognition Program.

The program honors the top 1% of primary care providers in our nationwide network of value-based care and evaluated provider partners for delivering the highest-quality care and exceptional patient experience. Honorees were selected based on achieving elite health outcomes measures such as preventive screenings, immunization rates, chronic disease management, medication adherence, and demonstrated commitment to continuous learning and clinical excellence.

This recognition is more than an award. It is a reminder that some of the best healthcare in the country is being delivered right here at home.

Primary care practices do more than treat illness. They help prevent it. They coordinate across the healthcare system. They build trust with patients over time. And they create a better experience for people trying to navigate a complex healthcare environment.

As a healthcare system, we ask primary care physicians and care teams to do more than ever. They manage routine preventive care, help patients with multiple chronic conditions, address medication needs, coordinate referrals, and support people through life’s everyday health challenges. The strongest practices do all of that while keeping the patient at the center. When that happens, everyone benefits.

Just as important, better coordination and prevention can help avoid unnecessary complications and lower healthcare costs over time. These are not abstract goals. They are the building blocks of stronger communities, healthier lives, and lower overall healthcare costs.

That is why celebrating excellence in primary care is critical. Recognition shines a light on excellence. It affirms the work of physicians, nurses, and care teams who show up every day for their patients. It also helps raise the bar across the system by encouraging all practices to continue their own focus on improving outcomes and patient experience.

This year’s program is especially meaningful because it reflects growing momentum. In its inaugural year, the Care Provider Recognition Program honored 19 providers serving Medicare Advantage members. This year, the program expanded to recognize 45 medical practices and health systems serving members across employer-sponsored, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage health plans. That broader reach allows us to spotlight more care providers who are making a measurable difference in the lives of the people they serve.

These leading primary care practices exemplify that kind of leadership. They deserve to be celebrated.

Paul Nobile is President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Wisconsin.

Great Primary Care Deserves the Spotlight

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