Senior Physician Speaker Series
Curated and hosted by Sam Yared, MD
Topic: Advancing Nephrology Through Value-Based Care
Guest Speaker: Dr. Ramsey Nassar
At the May meeting of the Senior Physicians Committee, Dr. Sam Yared, Chair, introduced Dr. Ramsey Nassar, a respected nephrologist and health care leader, as he shared his vision for the future of nephrology through the lens of value-based care. With decades of clinical and administrative experience, Dr. Nassar delivered timely insights into how the nephrology community— and the wider health care field— can transition more effectively into value-centered models.
Dr. Nassar, who earned his medical degree from the University of Damascus and completed his training in the U. S. at institutions including the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Toledo, currently leads Nephrology Associates. The group includes 18 nephrologists covering numerous hospitals in the Louisville and Southern Indiana region. With credentials that include board certification in both internal medicine and nephrology, along with academic appointments at the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky, Dr. Nassar brings both clinical credibility and operational insight to his approach.
What Is Value-Based Care?
The central theme of Dr. Nassar’ s presentation focused on the shift from volume-based to value-based care. In traditional fee-for-service models, providers are reimbursed based on the quantity of care delivered— tests, visits and procedures— rather than the outcomes achieved. Value-based care, on the other hand, seeks to reward quality and efficiency, focusing on improved patient outcomes, reduced hospitalizations and better chronic disease management.
For nephrology, a field deeply enmeshed in the care of chronically ill and often high-risk patients, the implications are profound. Dialysis, hospitalizations due to kidney complications and comorbidities such as hypertension and diabetes represent major cost drivers in Medicare and other health systems. Dr. Nassar argued that aligning incentives to prioritize prevention, coordination and patient engagement is both ethically and economically imperative.
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