Central Ohio Primary Care (COPC) and agilon health Partner with COPE Health Solutions to Launch Primary Care Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship Program

Applications Being Accepted Now for The COPC APP Fellowship Program

Central Ohio Primary Care (COPC), Greater Columbus’ premier innovative, collaborative, and data-driven physician led organization, has teamed up with longstanding partner agilon health, inc. (NYSE: AGL), the trusted partner empowering physicians to transform health care in our communities, and COPE Health Solutions to design and implement a 12-month post-graduate Advanced Practice Provider (APP) fellowship program that enables newly-graduated Advanced Practice Nurses (Nurse Practitioners [NPs]) and Physician Assistants (PAs) to spend a transitional year establishing themselves as successful, well-rounded primary care providers.

The inaugural APP program – a first for COPC – will help Fellows develop the skills necessary to practice in a highly collaborative, interprofessional primary care setting, focused on senior care, that enables better patient care and improved health outcomes. COPC is now accepting applications for its initial cohort of Fellows to begin the program in May 2023. To submit an application, please contact COPC at appfellowship@copcp.com.

“The modernization of primary care is all about establishing the best system of care that offers higher quality patient care with greater efficiency and fewer costs,” said Don Deep, MD, chief executive officer, COPC. “This fellowship aligns with COPC’s goals to modernize primary care by building complete care teams that include highly trained and compassionate Advanced Practice Providers to care for our patients in central Ohio.”

“agilon’s mission is to be the trusted, long-term partner of community-based physicians and care teams as they reimagine the healthcare delivery experience for seniors,” said Benjamin Kornitzer, MD, chief medical officer, agilon health. “Given the rapid growth in America’s senior population, it is more important than ever that healthcare leaders invest in innovative primary care models to ensure we have the workforce to meet seniors’ complex medical needs. agilon is thrilled to partner with COPC and COPE on this important initiative to prepare the next generation of primary care APPs in Central Ohio and reimagine what exceptional, team-based care looks like for seniors. We look forward to expanding this Fellowship program to other communities in the future.”

Advancing Primary Care in Ohio

The COPC APP Fellowship Program curriculum and learning modalities were intentionally developed to strengthen Fellows’ clinical skills and competencies and provide them with the resources and management training to deliver excellent patient care in a rapidly changing healthcare system. Fellows will have the opportunity to rotate through specialty clinics with the aim of expanding their clinical knowledge focused on high-value senior care through weekly didactics, synchronous Q&A discussions, and hands-on skills labs encompassing topics such as geriatric syndromes, palliative care, and transitional and home-based care. Precepted clinic sessions will help build Fellows’ confidence in practice and encourage them to develop their skills in a supported clinical setting. Fellows will also engage in leadership development activities, including a quality improvement project, and receive vital training around value-based care and population health, enabling them to better reach seniors and expand quality care to vulnerable patient populations.

“The transition to risk-based payment arrangements is critical, and we need a provider workforce that understands their role in ensuring success in value-based care,” said Elizabeth DuBois, DNP, FNP-BC, principal and chief operating officer, COPE Health Solutions. “At COPE Health Solutions, we ensure that Fellows are provided with the learning and tools they need to succeed and are excited for this collaboration with COPC and agilon.”

About Central Ohio Primary Care

COPC is the largest physician-owned primary care medical group in the United States. In 1996 they started with 33 physicians who chose to focus on the quality of patient care they were providing and less on the administrative paperwork. From the onset, COPC physicians have been dedicated to finding new ways to offer high quality care to their patients. Rooted in a long history of clinical excellence and a commitment to the highest ethical standards, COPC is building a new holistic model for primary care that gives physicians time to build relationships with their patients and one another. Today, they have over 445 physicians and 80 practice locations throughout Ohio. Through ACO REACH, COPC physicians can expand their ability to care for seniors holistically. This is energizing to primary care physicians and will allow COPC to set the standard for quality patient and physician experiences in the greater Central Ohio community.

About agilon health

agilon health is the trusted partner empowering physicians to transform health care in our communities. Through our partnerships and purpose-built platform, agilon is accelerating at scale how physician groups transition to a value-based, Total Care Model for senior patients. agilon provides the technology, people, capital, process, and access to a peer network of 2,200+ PCPs that allow physician groups to maintain their independence and focus on the total health of their most vulnerable patients. Together, agilon and its physician partners are creating the healthcare system we need – one built on the value of care, not the volume of fees. The result: healthier communities and empowered doctors. agilon is the trusted partner in 25 diverse communities and is here to help more of our nation's leading physician groups and health systems have a sustained, thriving future. For more information about agilon health, visit www.agilonhealth.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

About COPE Health Solutions

COPE Health Solutions is a national tech-enabled services firm with a population health management analytics software solution Analytics for Risk Contracting (ARC), collaboratively implementing proven products with payer and provider clients to power success in risk arrangements and development of the future workforce. Our multidisciplinary team provides payers and providers with the experience, capabilities, and tools needed to plan for, design, implement, and support strategy development and execution. We are driven by our passion to help transform health care delivery, align financial incentives to support population health management, and build the workforce needed for value-based care.

COPC - COPE Health Solutions Partnership

COPC and COPE Health Solutions consider the development of APPs to be essential to the future of health care. The partnership between COPC and COPE Health Solutions prepares the Fellow to become a versatile provider, leader, and asset to the primary care team while focusing on patient-centered care and population health. It enables Fellows to serve as patient advocates within the COPC team. Furthermore, COPC’s collaboration with COPE Health Solutions, a leader in value-based care transformation, provides a unique opportunity for Fellows to learn and develop as providers and leaders in an everchanging healthcare environment. This program is made possible through support from agilon health.

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