How to build a good research partnership: A Q&A with Dr. Amol Navathe on his work with HMSA
CHIBE is highlighting the ways our affiliates have created successful research partnerships. This is the second in a series of articles illustrating effective collaborations. Are you a CHIBE investigator looking for a partner for your research, or do you have a partnership story to tell? Contact chibe@pennmedicine.upenn.edu to connect with the CHIBE Steering Committee.
How do great research collaborations happen? CHIBE Associate Director Dr. Amol Navathe has partnered with Hawaii Medical Services Association (HMSA), the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Hawaii, for nearly a decade. Together they have reduced the operational and financial pressures of fee-for-service models. See how Dr. Navathe crafted this partnership in this Q&A below.
How did this partnership come about? Did HMSA come to you or did you reach out to them?
It was serendipitous. A couple of months before my start date at Penn, Kevin Volpp invited me to join him and Zeke Emanuel in Hawaii to meet HMSA’s senior leadership and discuss a potential project. The initiative involved designing a value-based payment system for primary care physicians—the first of its kind in Hawaii and relatively novel for a major insurer.
How long did the process take from initial reach-out to starting the work together?
The process took about 6–8 months to secure buy-in from senior leadership and provider organizations, followed by another 9 months to roll out the pilot. It was remarkably smooth, thanks to the collective passion for transitioning health care from high-cost, low-value practices to high-value, low-cost care.
How did you navigate things like what a contract should look like or how to share data or how to create a scope of work (SOW)?
The process started with drafting a master service agreement, followed by outlining specific terms for data sharing and SOW creation. Since this was HMSA’s first partnership with an external entity, we were all pioneers in navigating uncharted territory. Clear communication and collaboration were critical. On Penn’s side, having LDI’s Health Services Research Data Center’s expertise was invaluable—they specialize in data sharing and protection, which made drafting and refining the language as smooth as possible.
What advice would you give someone looking to partner with a major organization like HMSA?
HMSA is unique, but generally, you need an internal champion to advocate for your work. We found HMSA’s Payment Transformation Team deeply committed to improving health outcomes for Hawaii residents. It’s important to balance data-driven insights with operational considerations to ensure changes enhance care delivery effectively.
What was the impact of this partnership? Can you give us one take-away of what you accomplished together?
This has been more of a long-standing relationship than a partnership. Over nearly a decade, we’ve executed many SOWs and are now on the fourth iteration of the payment model.
One key achievement is reducing the operational and financial pressures of fee-for-service models. Physicians report more time with sicker patients and less administrative burden. The model, which guarantees providers a steady, risk-adjusted monthly salary, also proved resilient during COVID-19, underscoring its financial and operational benefits.