For years, providers have been talking about tackling health equity gaps in healthcare. But in 2023 new requirements from the federal government mean it is now time for some to walk the walk. “This has been twenty years in the talking stage,” said Paul Shields, M.D., CEO and chief medical officer of the Great Lakes…
The healthcare industry is in the middle of navigating two major trends: technology is moving into healthcare, and healthcare is moving into the home. As providers, payers, vendors, and industry newcomers scramble to figure out “who’s on first,” we all sense the possibility of this quantum leap moment for healthcare. Many of our collective conversations…
Social determinants of health reflect conditions in the environment where an individual is born, lives, works, plays and worships. These conditions have a direct impact on an individual’s range of health, functioning and quality of life. Given the recent pandemic, there has been an increase in the need to meet people where they are and…
The Rise to Health Coalition seeks to catalyze individuals and organizations committed to health equity and justice. WHY IT MATTERS Dr. Kedar Mate, president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, announced the new coalition at the recent IHI Forum 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Joined by Dr. Aletha Maybank, chief health equity officer and senior…
The simple definition of value-based care is better patient outcomes combined with smarter spending. As the U.S. healthcare system shifts from a fee-for-service model to incentivizing providers for improved care at a better price, there are specific practices in the ecosystem that must be addressed. Panel stuffing for lab tests is one of them. Panel…
Published in Circulation: Heart Failure, a recent study conducted by Northwestern Medicine researchers found that adding social determinants of health (SDOH) data into machine learning models led to less bias when predicting outcomes for heart failure patients. Healthcare bias can lead to detrimental outcomes for patients. For example, in April, a study published in PLOS digital health found that digital health…
Independence Blue Cross (Independence) has announced that it will renew its long-term value-based care contract with Jefferson Health. The provider will participate in Independence’s Total Value of Care value-based care program starting on January 1, 2023. Independence, a payer in southeastern Pennsylvania, has already been in a value-based care partnership with the non-profit health system and teaching…
Managed care contracts could be positioned as a valuable tool for state Medicaid programs seeking to promote racial equity. While contracts are far removed from the front lines of care, well-designed agreements between states and plans can begin the process of addressing inequities in the delivery of health care. States can use contractual provisions to…
Envision Healthcare, a leading national medical group, is continuing work to improve health equity by addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). The medical group’s new white paper details how clinicians and healthcare professionals can work together to improve medical care for all patients. SDOH are the economic, political and/or cultural forces that influence the health…
Health and well-being require far more than medical care. Research shows that personal behaviors, physical environments and socioeconomic factors—commonly referred to as social drivers of health (SDOH)—are responsible for 80 percent of health outcomes. Individuals enrolled in Medicaid experience disproportionate rates of complex health and social needs. With this in mind, state Medicaid agencies are…