Paradigm recently launched an innovative value-based partnership program to set new standards for accountability in workers’ compensation. Paradigm’s approach to value-based care is based on sharing data and clinical resources to leverage mutual expertise between care managers and providers. It is also built on sharing risk, which is particularly important in catastrophic workplace injury outcomes.

Since announcing our value-based partnership launch in April 2021 with our first partner, we have continued to identify best-in-class providers across the country that meet our criteria for this initiative. Participating providers become accountable partners in achieving the best possible functional and behavioral outcomes at a fixed price for catastrophically injured workers.

Establishing value-based partnerships with leading providers
It is critical for Paradigm to choose partners that bring cutting-edge, evidence-based approaches that are often not available elsewhere. For example, in this interdisciplinary approach, onsite clinical research is implemented into care plans on an expedited basis. These components enable Paradigm to continue achieving guaranteed clinical outcomes that truly change lives.

As an organization that exemplifies these principles and criteria, Paradigm has partnered with Brooks Rehabilitation as its next value-based provider. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Brooks Rehabilitation has provided more than 50 years of comprehensive physical rehabilitation services for patients, including catastrophically injured workers. In addition to inpatient, outpatient, home health, and assisted-living care, Brooks Rehabilitation also performs clinical research and is committed to integrating the latest advances in treatment into care delivery.

Brooks is in the top 1% in the nation in complexity treatment of rehabilitation patients. Through groundbreaking technologies like Cyberdyne’s Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) and Helen’s House, a world-class hospitality house, Brooks Rehabilitation will help Paradigm continue to advance the state of value-based care in workers’ compensation.

“Paradigm has been delivering on a value-based methodology for 30 years now,” says Paradigm Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael Choo. “We’re very excited to evolve our relationship with Brooks Rehabilitation and utilize a highly innovative approach to treating patients with particularly challenging needs. Specific to the walking program for incomplete spinal cord injuries, we wanted to leverage and capitalize on Brooks’ unique innovation and its proven capability to help a population that is functionally most uncertain and challenging.”

Brooks Rehabilitation and the Hybrid Assistive Limb program
The Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) program is the world’s first robotic treatment device shown to improve a patient’s ability to walk. HAL uses advanced sensors that actually detect the brain’s bioelectric signals from the surface of the skin. This enables the wearer to walk in a more biomechanically natural manner.

This state-of-the-art rehabilitation method can be particularly beneficial for patients with partial spinal cord injuries who are attempting to regain the ability to walk. By working with the specially trained therapists at Brooks Rehabilitation, patients learn to respond to biofeedback from the device. This helps to increase neural pathways, leading to an improved ability for the wearer to walk on their own.

Helen’s House embodies Paradigm’s whole-person approach
In addition to Brooks Rehabilitation’s cutting-edge technology, the facility offers a unique reduced-rate hospitality house called Helen’s House. This on-property facility embodies Paradigm’s unique whole-person approach by providing psychosocial care for patients and their family members in a “Community of Healing” environment.

Named in honor of Helen Brown, the wife of Brooks founder J. Brooks Brown, MD, Helen’s House is a place where patients, families, and caregivers can closely support one another during the most difficult times of their lives.

A value-based partnership growing from shared values
The relationship with Paradigm and Brooks Rehabilitation will be the first outpatient program in our value-based partnership initiative. For eligible cases, the Paradigm care management team will be working closely with Brooks Rehabilitation, patients, and their families to develop a personalized, outcome-focused plan.

“Brooks Rehabilitation sees this as a tremendous opportunity to further our relationship with Paradigm and improve more lives,” says Director of National Workers’ Compensation Sales and Account Management for Brooks Rehabilitation, Josh Schuette, DPT, MBA, M.E.S.S., CFCE. “For more than 50 years, we have achieved patient-focused care through an unwavering commitment to get injured people back to their families and communities. We believe Paradigm’s approach to value-based care represents a dedication to positive outcomes that is mutually reflected in our mission and principles.”

Learn more about our Catastrophic Specialty Network®, which includes a powerful network of providers, value-based partners, and managed health care and medical case management services.