Driving Physician Engagement in CMS TEAM: 9 Strategies to Turn Analytics into Action

The success of the CMS TEAM (Transforming Episode Accountability Model) depends on more than dashboards and data. It relies on the people behind the care, especially physicians who need to be informed, motivated, and aligned with both quality and cost goals. However, gaining physician support for a new value-based model can be a challenge.

This article outlines practical ways to drive physician engagement in CMS TEAM with an emphasis on turning analytics into everyday action.

What Is CMS TEAM and Why Physician Engagement Matters

CMS TEAM is a mandatory bundled payment program that holds hospitals financially responsible for the cost and quality of care for select surgical procedures. These include lower extremity joint replacements, spinal fusions, coronary artery bypass grafts, and others within a 30-day episode of care.

Unlike earlier voluntary programs, TEAM participation is not optional. This makes the program a huge financial risk but also a big opportunity for hospitals.

However, this shift increases the need for strategic engagement, particularly among physicians whose decisions drive outcomes throughout the episode.

From surgical planning and discharge coordination to post-acute care referrals, physicians have a major influence on the quality and cost of CMS TEAM. If they aren’t involved, even the most advanced analytics or care redesign strategies may fall short.

Why Physician Engagement Can Be Difficult for Bundled Payment Programs Like CMS TEAM

To engage physicians, it helps to understand why they may resist or disengage from new initiatives like CMS TEAM.

Some of the most common reasons may include:

• Administrative burden: Many physicians already feel overextended. New models can be seen as more paperwork without added value.

• Delayed or unclear data: If physicians receive outdated reports or lack context, they may ignore the information.

• Disconnect from clinical practice: Analytics often feel disconnected from day-to-day care, making it harder to apply insights.

• Lack of personal impact: If physicians do not see direct benefits whether financial or otherwise then they may not prioritize participation.

Addressing these concerns requires a clear, thoughtful strategy built around the physician’s perspective.

Strategies to Drive Physician Engagement in CMS TEAM

1. Focus on Shared Goals First

Engagement starts with trust and alignment. Physicians are more likely to participate when they see how TEAM initiatives support their primary mission: delivering safe, effective care.

Rather than leading with financial pressure, begin by highlighting shared clinical priorities. These might include reducing complications, shortening recovery times, or improving coordination after discharge.

When physicians understand that TEAM is about improving outcomes and not just cutting costs, they’re more open to getting involved.

2. Deliver Data That Is Timely, Actionable, and Personalized

For analytics to drive behavior, they need to be useful. That means giving physicians information that is:

Timely: Feedback needs to be delivered close to the time of care. If metrics arrive months later, they’re less likely to influence decision-making. Aim for weekly or bi-weekly updates whenever possible.

Actionable: Information should lead to specific next steps. For example, don’t just report a high readmission rate. Show what factors contributed to it and which interventions could prevent it.

Personalized: Generic benchmarks aren’t enough. Physicians need to see how their individual practice patterns affect cost and quality. A personalized scorecard that compares outcomes, utilization, and costs against peers can prompt meaningful reflection.

3. Integrate Analytics into Daily Routines

Physicians are more likely to use data when it’s part of their regular workflow. Consider these strategies:

• EHR integration: Embed care pathways or decision support into existing order sets or templates.

• Team huddles: Review episode performance during routine meetings.

• Case discussions: Use data to support conversations around care variation or unexpected outcomes.

By placing analytics where care decisions are made, hospitals can increase both visibility and impact.

4. Tie Incentives to Team-Based Goals

While data provides insight, incentives help reinforce behavior. Physicians often respond to systems that reward their contributions, whether through financial bonuses or professional recognition.

Several options may include:

• Gainsharing models: Offer a share of cost savings to clinicians who meet both quality and financial targets.

• Professional growth opportunities: Link participation in TEAM initiatives to leadership roles, speaking opportunities, or academic advancement.

• Departmental reinvestment: Rather than individual recognition, consider allocating a portion of realized savings back to high-performing departments. This could take the form of increased discretionary budgets, capital equipment purchases, or expanded support staff—all of which can help frontline clinicians deliver better care more efficiently.

The most effective incentive structures are those that promote collaboration and align with patient-centered outcomes.

5. Include Physicians in Strategy and Program Design

Physicians are more likely to support a program they helped build. Involving them in key decisions builds trust and ownership.

Ways to include them:

• Invite physicians to define care pathways and episode protocols

• Create multidisciplinary committees to review performance data

• Appoint clinical champions in each specialty to lead improvement efforts

Early involvement can turn physicians from passive recipients of information into active drivers of change.

6. Encourage Peer-to-Peer Conversations

Messages from peers often carry more weight than directives from administration. Encouraging physicians to share their own experiences can foster trust and buy-in.

Peer-led efforts might include:

• Department leaders reviewing scorecards in team meetings

• A surgeon sharing how standardized discharge orders improved outcomes

• A cardiologist explaining how early home health referrals reduced readmissions

Physician-to-physician conversations make new models feel more relevant and achievable.

7. Reframe Cost Conversations Around Clinical Value

Physicians are trained to focus on clinical outcomes, not financial spreadsheets. Reframing cost data in terms of patient value can improve engagement.

For example:

• Instead of “you’re using the most expensive rehab facility,” try “your patients recover faster when discharged home with PT.”

• Rather than “your imaging costs are high,” try “you order more scans than peers without a difference in outcomes.”

This approach keeps the focus on quality and avoids finger-pointing.

8. Keep the Feedback Loop Going

Engagement isn’t a one-time effort. It’s a process that requires consistent communication and support.

Consider implementing:

• Monthly performance updates by physician or specialty group

• Quarterly meetings to review trends and address challenges

• Alerts or reminders for high-risk patients or outlier costs

• Support staff such as care coordinators or episode navigators to assist with transitions

Regular updates reinforce the importance of TEAM goals and allow physicians to see progress over time.

9. Share Wins and Lessons Learned With Everyone

Data drives improvement, but stories inspire action. Sharing successful examples helps others understand what’s possible.

Look for:

• A physician who streamlined discharge processes and reduced length of stay

• A surgical team that aligned around a care pathway and saw fewer readmissions

• A hospital unit that improved patient satisfaction by changing follow-up protocols

These stories help move the conversation from compliance to collaboration.

Making Analytics Work for Physicians to Succeed in CMS TEAM

The CMS TEAM model demands more than financial reporting. It calls for collaboration, insight, and shared responsibility.

By making analytics timely, relevant, and useful, hospitals can help physicians turn data into better care. Success in TEAM doesn’t come from mandates or monitoring, but rather from engaging clinicians in meaningful ways and supporting them with the right tools.

Physician engagement isn’t just nice to have. It’s the foundation for success under CMS TEAM and a critical step in delivering higher-value care.

To learn more strategies for success in TEAM, join 160+ individuals and more than 45 of the top hospitals and health systems in the interactive CMS TEAM Collaborative.

Apply to join for FREE today!