Purpose-driven Collaboration: From the desk of the CMO

Driving Improvements to Clinical Analytics, Patient Care & Triple Aim Initiatives

As I traveled the country meeting with a number of providers in my first year as CMO, the need for clinical data and analytics has never been more paramount. In late 2018, HealthTrust held a collaborative summit focused specifically on the topic, with member participation from Beaumont, Community Health Systems, Franciscan Health, HCA Healthcare, LifePoint Health, Scripps Healthcare and Trinity Health. HealthTrust members, Physician Advisors and internal subject matter experts representing pharmacy and traditional provider service lines offered their insights on the effort already underway to renovate HealthTrust’s clinical data and analytics solutions. The collaboration helped to identify and prioritize key performance indicators for each specialty and to outline the data sources and dashboard requirements.

The day ended with a number of mock-up wireframes completed, along with a wish list describing an ideal state for such considerations as data preferences, filtering capabilities, functionality and mobile accessibility. Special thanks to these experts who helped inform the future of our performance dashboards. I look forward to sharing more in the coming months regarding improved foundational analytics and, in the not too distant future, the opportunity for subscription-based analytics.

Centers of Excellence Series

I am pleased to kick off the first article in a series on service line centers of excellence. Here, Kelsey Duggan, Ph.D., MBA—former senior director, medical device management for HealthTrust—provides her insight on the collaboration between the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and The Joint Commission announced last fall.

While The Joint Commission established its Total Hip and Knee Replacement voluntary advanced certification program in 2016, the addition of AAOS’ clinical expertise into standards development and requirements for measuring performance will help accredited hospitals and ASCs elevate the quality, consistency and safety of their patient care and related services.

Designed to benefit orthopedic patients across the country, the ongoing collaboration is focused on improving care and the quality of hip and knee replacement surgeries. Together, the organizations will focus on performance measurement, quality improvement activities, education, data sharing and research related to hip and knee certification.

Trends for 2019 & Beyond

As healthcare executives refine their strategies for the remainder of 2019, Jordan Holland and Laurie Norman from Optum Advisory Services suggest there are definite themes emerging among value-based reimbursement models tying payments to quality care achievements. Trends to watch for in the coming months include more downside risk for providers; increased collaboration between providers and payers; providers finding new ways to overcome conflicting incentives; and, an increased focus on enabling physician input.

Scripps Health realized the importance of physician input by placing five experienced physicians in executive operational positions a year ago at each of its hospital campuses in San Diego County, California. The move was part of an ongoing redesign of its healthcare delivery model with the goal of assisting regional hospital chief executives and campus chief operating executives in managing day-to-day hospital activities as well as supporting systemwide initiatives. Two of those executive physicians—Valerie Norton, M.D., and Jonathan Worsey, M.D.—offer their insights after completing year-one in these operational executive roles.

Cost, quality and outcomes—aka “triple aim” initiatives—are best informed with data, collaboration and the integration of supply chain and clinical initiatives. Representing the physicians’ perspective, Mark Pinto, M.D., and I share how today’s value-based care environment underscores the importance of such integration. Bob Taylor—vice president of supply chain for RWJBarnabas Health and 2019 president of AHRMM—joins the conversation, adding that to be successful in this environment, “providers must improve the quality of care while simultaneously managing and reducing costs.”