One in six primary-care physicians paid by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia has agreed to participate in a new primary-care initiative spearheaded by the insurer, according to an Anthem news release.

Anthem's patient-centered primary-care initiative aims to provide six large physician groups in the state with the financial incentives and resources to increase care coordination and quality.

Medical groups enrolled in the initiative are Bayview Physicians Group, Bon Secours Medical Group, Carilion Clinic, Fairfax Family Practice Centers, Patients First and Tidewater Physicians Multispecialty Group. They account for more than 16% of Anthem's total reimbursement to primary-care physicians in Virginia. The insurer plans to expand the program to more than 20 Virginia practices by April.

The initiative was described as helping to expand physicians' use of electronic health records, patient registries and evidence-based medical guidelines to improve consistency and quality of care.