Healthcare Informatics (HCI) recently named recipients of its Innovator Awards, which honors those at the forefront of healthcare IT. Specifically, the program recognizes healthcare leadership teams that have effectively employed information technology to make a difference in their organizations and in the industry at large.
The top spot went to Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, of Toppenish, Wash., while Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and Children’s Health Alliance in Portland shared second place. Bon Secours Medical Group, of Richmond, Va., received third place.
Runners-up included Independence Blue Cross, Children’s Hospital of San Antonio, Blanchard Valley Health System, NextLevel Health, Penn Medicine, and Military Health System.
Two of the organizations—Children’s Health Alliance (CHA) and Blanchard Valley Health System—use comprehensive technology and service solutions from Wellcentive.
A not-for-profit association of more than 100 independent primary care pediatricians in Oregon and southwest Washington, CHA has pioneered a pediatric-focused population health management (PHM) approach. Driven by a unique model for stratifying pediatric patients by risk based on both clinical and social factors, the CHA team has achieved significant results to date, including dramatic improvements in asthma care and proactive care management.
CHA, which has also developed a broad range of pediatric-specific protocols and quality measures, has partnered with Wellcentive to incorporate alerts, guidelines and measures into a comprehensive approach to value-based care.
Blanchard Valley Health System was recognized for collaborating with a large, local manufacturer to tackle the healthcare value challenge. Using a patient-centered medical home initiative enabled by Wellcentive’s PHM solution, the partners sought to glean more value from providers and to encourage employees to better manage their health. Serving more than 4,000 employees, the medical home is driving better management of high-risk and high-cost patients, including an increase in preventive care compliance and a drop in unnecessary ER utilization. This has led to a documented return of $2.44 for every dollar invested in the program.
“Blanchard Valley Health System and Children’s Health Alliance are two excellent examples of provider organizations transforming the process of healthcare in this country, driving measurable improvement in the quality, cost and proactive management of health for their customers,” said Tom Zajac, CEO of Wellcentive. “We congratulate them on this recognition and are honored to support their groundbreaking achievements.”
Award winners will be recognized at the Healthcare Informatics Innovator Awards and Leading Edge Awards Reception, which will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on April 13 in Chicago at the annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems (HIMSS) Conference.
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