In last month’s opening blog in this series, we defined the field of Population Health as including “health outcomes, patterns of health determinants, and policies and interventions that link these two.”
Physicians don’t usually encourage their patients to take unnecessary risks, much less take such risks themselves. After all, they are supposed to be role models. But there are times when taking on risk is not only the right thing to do but can show others the path to a bright healthcare future.
A desire for more coordinated care has led to the advancement of accountable care organizations (ACO) and similar models. These organizations have set out to improve the delivery of healthcare, while reducing costs and leveraging evidence-based care to collaborate with care teams and patients. At the forefront this movement is Minnesota’s Children’s Health Network (CHN), where we visited for our final Season One episode. We joined Chad Johnson, CEO, Dave Overman, President and COO of Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minn., and Dr. Kelly Lemieux, Pediatrician with Wayzata Children’s Clinic and chair of clinical operations for CHN to discuss the benefits of population health technologies, like CCMR, and their ability to enhance care.
As various options for healthcare reform are considered, the patient-centered care model and shared savings programs have come about as alternative approaches to care delivery, performance measurement and value-based payment reform, shifting the focus to preventative care. The pay-per-service model is viewed by some as being similar to driving through the rear-view mirror. What is behind you provides insight, but it is what is in front that is really telling.