Frequently Asked Questions

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Also: find answers to questions about your GRIPA Connect Provider Contracts.

Q: Will we have to have an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) System to access the web portal?

A: No. You will need a computer, laptop, electronic tablet or handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) with an Internet connection to access the web portal. GRIPA will provide participating GRIPA Connect physicians with a computer tablet. You will need to provide and pay for the high-speed Internet access.

Q: Will GRIPA Connect work with my EMR?

A: We are in discussion with several leading EMR vendors to assure interoperability (compatibility) wherever possible. Our system will have an open, non-proprietary architecture, so if your EMR vendor offers the same, it should be possible to make the two systems work together. If you are considering purchasing an EMR system, or a practice management system, we suggest you contact us and we can give you more details.

Q: What current data sources are sending information to the portal?

A:As of today, data sources include:

• Viahealth’s Rochester General Hospital and Newark Wayne Community Hospital - ADT (admission, discharge, and transfer) information as well as clinical lab results.

• ACM Laboratory results

• Elizabeth Wende Breast Clinic reports

• Rochester Radiology is completing the testing of data transfer.

Q: How much will this cost me?

A: The bulk of the cost will be in providing high-speed Internet access to your office, and in the labor cost to transition to the system. We will work with you on the latter to be sure that the transition is as easy as possible.

Q: Who’s paying for all this?

A: The major cost for this initiative is being borne by GRIPA. We have also been awarded a New York State grant to defray some of the cost of this initiative.

Q: What’s our legal liability for antitrust lawsuits?

A: GRIPA has received a positive advisory opinion from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for its Clinical Integration program. The FTC has stated that if we implement our program in the manner we indicated we would, the FTC does not intend to challenge our program, which includes negotiating contracts on behalf of our members.

Q: Will participating in GRIPA Connect be mandatory for members of GRIPA?

A: No, although we are hoping for robust participation. For members in private practice wishing to engage in single-signature contracting for non-risk contracts, this is probably the only open avenue.

Q: Can I participate in GRIPA Connect even if my practice partners do not?

A: Yes. All RGPO and WCPO shareholders are individually eligible to participate in GRIPA Connect. Whether you are a solo practitioner or an employee of a larger practice or entity and whether or not your partners or associates participate, you can still participate in GRIPA Connect. Some employers may have restrictions. ViaHealth has signed a contract for the participation of all its employed physicians.

Q: If I enroll in GRIPA Connect, can I contract with an insurer that GRIPA does not contract with?

A: GRIPA's participation contract with physicians is non-exclusive, so you can contract directly with an insurer with whom GRIPA does not have a relationship. You may also contract to participate in insurers’ products not covered by GRIPA’s contracts with those insurers.

Q: Should we just become a multi-specialty group?

A: That’s an initiative that has been discussed. Clinical Integration does not preclude us from going in that direction at some future date. In fact, it would probably advance our ability to form a multi-specialty group. Forming such a group can be a long and cumbersome process, because it requires agreement on a host of business issues. For the moment, Clinical Integration seems the simpler and more effective way to go.

Q: What is ViaHealth’s stance on this?

A: ViaHealth leadership has been very supportive. President Mark Clement and Past-President Sam Huston have both spoken in favor of GRIPA Connect at a number of physician meetings. ViaHealth has signed a contract for the participation of its employed physicians, and it has also agreed to provide data for the GRIPA Connect Portal.

Q: Will employed physicians be able to participate?

A: Yes, as long as they are members of GRIPA  and their employers allow them to participate.

Q: Have other IPAs done this? What has been their experience with reimbursement for physicians?

A: Other IPAs have successfully sold their services, as clinically integrated networks, to payors. Any increase in rates, though, did not come in the form of leverage. It came in the form of a competitive product that the payors were willing to buy.

Q: What is GRIPA's relationship with the new Greater Rochester Regional Health Information Organization (gRrhio)?

A: We are actively working with leadership of the Greater Rochester RHIO to find ways to share information between their health information exchange system and our web portal. Our hope is that physicians enrolled in GRIPA Connect will be able to view RHIO records via a single sign-on through our web portal.