MCS launches ‘Impúlsate con MCS’ to help retain recently graduated doctors
MCS has announced a new project — “Impúlsate con MCS” — under its MCS Conexión de Salud program, looking thelp the public sector and healthcare industry to retain newly graduated physicians on the island.
In partnership with several medical residency programs, this project is an educational initiative that aims to help recently graduated doctors start their careers and establish their medical practices in Puerto Rico.
Before completing their residency, doctors will be able to participate in a conference to guide them through all the administrative and operational aspects governing their practice, and thus facilitate their integration into the healthcare system.
They will be able to fully understand the contracting and credentialing processes with the insurer and receive valuable information on operational elements of the plan, which will allow them to strengthen their practice and effectively support their patients’ care.
The project will also provide access to online content on important aspects of patient care management, and offer physicians personalized support during the process of establishing their practices.
“This initiative arises because, at the end of their residency, newly graduated doctors lack knowledge on administrative issues that are part of their profession. This ranges from how the healthcare industry operates, to hiring requirements by Medicare and health plans. What we intend with this project is to make it easier for young doctors to enter the healthcare system, which will serve as a stimulus to continue working here,” said Inés Hernández, Chief Medical Officer at MCS.
“With a population that is increasingly aging, it’s important to promote access to a network of quality providers. Part of the value of this new project is to stimulate the desire for doctors to work in Puerto Rico’s healthcare system, and I am confident it will greatly benefit our future doctors,” said Hernández.
The Retention and Return of Medical Professionals Incentives Act was an effort by the government of Puerto Rico to help slow the flight of doctors from the island, said Hernández adding that the healthcare industry “recognizes the enormous value of this and other efforts. She also emphasized the important of continuing to develop initiatives aimed at retaining as many newly graduated physicians as possible.”
“Over the years, the need to retain medical professionals has become more noticeable on our island. For this reason, it’s a priority for us to strengthen our provider network, in order to ensure our members, have access to the medical services they need. This, without discounting the positive impact this would represent for the island’s economy, which is equally important,” explained Roberto Torres-Fernández, chief operations officer at MCS.
The first conference for this initiative was held April 23 in San Juan, with another session held in Ponce April 30. During both conferences, the hiring and credentialing processes were discussed in detail.
In addition, an introduction to the technological platform that serves as a communications liaison between MCS and its providers, known as MCS Provinet, was also provided. Also discussed were clinical programs aimed at helping providers offer their patients the health care they need, among other administrative and operational aspects relevant to the future doctors.
