CSG ERC health panel focuses on innovations

The Health Policy panel held August 18, 2015 at CSG/ERC’s Annual Meeting focused on health care innovations that build value and the importance of building a workforce to support that transformation. Pam Price, former Delaware House of Representatives staff, expertly moderated the breakfast session.

We heard from Heidi Louise Behforouz, M.D., of AnansiHealth and Brigham and Women’s Hospital about the value of including community health workers into the health team. Community Health Workers (CHW) represent a move back to a community-based model of health that recognizes the importance of helping people care for themselves in their daily lives. One study found that for every dollar spent on CHWs, three dollars were saved across the health system.

We also heard from Jeff Brown of New Jersey’s Quality Improvement Collaborative about that state’s plan to move Medicaid members into Accountable Care Organizations by improving access to quality care and using the resulting savings to improve community health.

Kerri McGowan Lowrey, J.D., M.P.H., of the Network for Public Health Law — Eastern Region spoke about the rich resources and technical assistance their project provides to Eastern Region policymakers seeking help with public health law and analysis.

Finally we heard from Secretary Rita Landgraf of Delaware’s Department of Health and Social Services about innovations in their state. As with 10 other ERC states, Delaware has been awarded a State Innovation Model grant from CMMI. But understanding that all stakeholders need to be engaged and involved for successful reform, Delaware has chosen to create a not-for-profit organization to shepherd patient-centered reform in their state. For the effort, Delaware has devoted $100 million in state funds to supplement $30 million in federal funding.