SolutionHealth’s Post

Thanks Gregory Makoul for posting your insightful thoughts below: “How can care teams increase quality and safety for the communities they serve? By better understanding their patients as unique individuals. Remember two simple words: Assume nothing” I couldn’t agree more! #humanunderstanding

🎉 Wrapping up the 3-day marathon that was the Texas Association of Health Plans 2023 conference, I can't help but be in awe of Texas' progress, conscious of the size of the challenges that face the state, and optimistic about the future. Here are some of my top takeaways from Days 2&3: 📄 Texas Medicaid has new leadership and she’s got priorities: Emily Zalkovsky is a veteran of HHSC but she’s new to the Medicaid Director role and she’s here with clear priorities. That kind of direction is just what the field needs to engage and transform the delivery system. Expanding access to members, driving adoption of value based models, and expanding partnerships are just a few of her top 5 priorities. She’s clearly a leader to watch in this space. 💰 Value Based Care is here to stay y’all: It says a lot that Day 2 of the conference had a panel on some aspect of value based care during all time slots. It’s a reflection that the state of VBC is strong here in TX and it was great to see what models are working and seeing high levels of uptake (TCOC attributed to PCP still dominates the space) and to have honest conversations about what’s not working (need to move beyond ‘boilerplate’ models, need to involve specialty care, need to think about what types of providers are the right principal care provider—hint: it’s not always the PCP!) 🚩 Business as we know it no longer: A key thread running through the panel conversations and the conversations at the water cooler was the high level of disruption this space is experiencing. Whether it is the Medicaid redetermination process, the questions raised by artificial intelligence creeping into the workflows of both payers and providers, or the rising costs of RX due to GLP-1 and other high-cost pharmaceuticals, it is clear that 2023 was a year of turbulent change. And don’t look to 2024 for stability. I’ll have a full write up next week, for now, know that Texas is an exciting market for those looking to bring value into the health care ecosystem. 

And the winners are…   We congratulate the winners of the 7th annual Health Quality Innovators of the Year awards. Learn how this year’s nominees are improving quality of care across care settings and communities: https://lnkd.in/eTJKRzbP

Moving patients seamlessly through your health system is a team sport. Getting paid for all the care provided starts at the point of entry. Explore our thinking at: https://lnkd.in/ebNtqUWH

Planning for a region’s health-care needs means taking the time to learn about both current challenges and future opportunities. In this week’s Impact Report story, learn about VCH’s plan for the fast growing Sea to Sky region, including how we worked with First Nations, the Sea to Sky community and health-care teams on how to best maintain access to safe, high-quality health care now and in the future. https://lnkd.in/gzijKjtR

Always happy to be in Texas, where everything is bigger, including the ideas on how we can create a better system of health for all--improving the quality of care that patients receive, while reducing costs, ensuring continuity of coverage, and reducing physician burnout--just *some* of the challenges we face today. This morning's opening keynote by Dr. Ziad Obermeyer on the integration of artificial intelligence into the health care ecosystem focused on whether we're truly understanding what the best business use case for this new technology really is ("AI can't help us if we're confused ourselves about what we're trying to do"). Amazing and thoughtful analysis by a researcher from University of California, Berkeley who is working closely with industry to drive #artificialintelligence applicability forward. The second keynote on the new science of quality measurement by Will Bruhn, MD founder of Global Appropriateness Measures was so inspiring and exactly what the field needs to hear. When we look only at quality measures that are outcome-based, calculated on services rendered, we are missing the larger story. Will's work at GAM helps to uncover practice patterns and helps reduce inappropriate care; for example, c-section rates for low-risk deliveries should not exceed 25%, per several obstetrics societies and published research, so why do we see over 50% of providers posting much higher rates? The answer, of course, is in the misalignment of payment incentives, something which #valuebasedcare can help to align, but without the data that GAM is organizing and operationalizing, we still won't see meaningful change. Amazing start to the two days here at Texas Association of Health Plans annual conference, looking forward to more insight!

Access to healthcare is good. Equal access is better. Let's talk about how we can support rural healthcare organizations in offering people hours away from major urban areas the same standard of care as anyone. Equal Healthcare for All™ is central to how we do business; at next week's 50th Annual #Arizona Rural Health Conference, ask us about programs like Software Upgrades for Life, just one unique example of how we make it happen. #healthcare #PassionForChange https://lnkd.in/gQqfpDFf

Your mind is an important instrument and component of your overall well-being! Thus, tend to it and protect it! Like Dr. David Schwartz, author of The Magic of Thinking Big, states “Your mind is a multimillion dollar asset!” #WorldHealthDay #DrDavidSchwartz

During a recent visit to Cone Health, the Patient Experience team proudly shared three strategic actions that take patient experience to the next level. With focuses on provider communications, community health, and leader rounding, this large health system is transforming the human experience through training and resources with positive results that will lead them into the future and beyond. Read the On the Road https://ow.ly/ExQR50SeI73

"Just a strong sense of community and filling in the gaps for each other and taking care of each other." - Caly Fernandez, Puentes de Cristo The communities that make up Hidalgo County truly do share a common desire to support each other as they tackle the different challenges impacting health and wellness. Hear from voices in these communities who are working towards advancing health equity for all. Watch the next installment of our Advancing Health Equity series ⬇️. https://bit.ly/3UoJmLD