Posted on 09. Jul, 2010 by admin in Cyndy's Spot on Health Value, News, evidence
An Overview of Health Innovation in Wisconsin
Wisconsin–the state best identified with cheese, high taxes, the Green Bay Packers and beer–is also known for health care, creating diverse collaborative health care systems and well-established prevention programs. But it is also plagued by high costs and expenses. Despite Wisconsin’s health care woes–it ranked as the 16th state with the highest health spending per capita in 2004 (the most recent year for which comparative state-level data are available), it is a state primed for reform, a path it has been pursuing throughout the past decade. Employers, health plans and county governments all share in the journey towards cost-effective, high-quality, accessible health care.
This report, Wisconsin: Levers Drive Value-Based Innovation Across the State, makes a business case for value-based design as illustrated by Wisconsin companies Quad/Graphics [QuadMed], Humana, Journal Communications and Chippewa County. The four organizations are a representative sample of how innovation is providing resolution and relief in Wisconsin and how the state culture has contributed to the success of their solutions. The report is built on the Health Value Continuum, a development pathway for value-based design that shows the route to quality health improvement and behavior change. The Health Value Continuum was developed by the Center for Health Value Innovation to detail the experiences and path of early innovators in value-based benefit design. The four organizations highlighted in this paper (QuadMed, Humana, Journal Communications and Chippewa County, WI) have each reached different points along the Continuum as they move toward optimal health.
“We think Wisconsin is a truly unique learning laboratory,” says Cyndy Nayer, president and chief executive officer of the Center for Health Value Innovation. “Wisconsin has demonstrated a willingness to innovate, share, and do more. We want to learn about and share the experience of these Wisconsin companies by cataloguing the levers–or incentives–currently in place, the metrics used to measure outcomes, and how statewide efforts can be replicated in the marketplace. These companies are all members of the Center, and our mission is to provide evidence of improved health value so that other companies can improve the value of their health care spend.”
For the complete report in PDF format, please click here.
Posted on 16. Sep, 2009 by admin in Press Releases
St. Louis, MO – September 16, 2009 – The Center for Health Value Innovation, the nation’s premier information exchange for value-based design, announces the addition of six new members to its Board of Advisors and the appointment of Paul Grundy, M.D., director, Healthcare Transformation for IBM, and president of the Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative, to its Board of Directors.
“This dynamic group of people will be a welcome injection of fresh thinking into our already vibrant mix of healthcare innovators at the Center,” says Cyndy Nayer, president and CEO of the Center. “As healthcare reform gets under way and there is increased focus upon creating financial value for all stakeholders in the healthcare system, the Center will continue to promote its game-changing initiatives.”
The Center elected six new members to its Board of Advisors:
• Cindy Johnson, Vice President of Human Resources, Group Health Cooperative
• Frank Johnson, Executive Director of Benefits, State of Maine
• Gregg Kamas, Director of Health Risk Management, IMA Financial Group, Inc.
• Jeff Kluever, Risk Manager, Journal Communications and Co-Founder of the SE Wisconsin Business Healthcare Group
• Mike Kushner, Risk Management Director, Polk County, Florida
• Bruce Sherman, MD, Consulting Medical Director, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Mike Taylor, M.D., Center chairman and medical director for Health Promotion at Caterpillar, Inc., adds, “As we approach a new era in our country’s healthcare system, the addition of these stellar thought-leaders to the Center’s team will enhance our efforts to serve communities and stakeholder organizations, improve individual health, and lower consumption of health resources and cost trends through the exchange of value-based design ideas and strategies.”
Posted on 09. Sep, 2009 by admin in Events, News, Press Releases
Leveraging Health book launch: September 30, 2009, 8 a.m., National Press Club, Washington, D.C.; Book signing, 5:30 p.m, Consumer Health Care Congress, Alexandria, Va.
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – September 09, 2009 –The Center for Health Value Innovation (www.vbhealth.org), the nation’s leading information exchange for value-based design, announces the publication of its first book, Leveraging Health. Authored by three of the recognized experts in value-based design — Cyndy Nayer, president and CEO of the Center, Jack Mahoney, M.D., chief medical officer of the Center, and Jan Berger, M.D., strategic advisor — the book uses real-world case studies from public and private organizations to illustrate 15 “levers” of value-based design.
Raymond Zastrow, M.D., vice president of the Center, will chair the book launch event, September 30, 2009, 8 a.m., at the National Press Club, Washington, D.C. The authors will attend an evening book signing event, 5:30 p.m. at the World Congress, Consumer Health Care Congress, Alexandria, Va. Use coupon code MCM464 to receive a 50 percent discount on registration fees.
“In the past 25 years, cost compression has done little to slow the growth of chronic disease and related costs,” says Dr. Mahoney. “We used our collective expertise and real-world business experiences to showcase the innovations that change the dynamics of poorly managed health. Readers can access insights on where to start, which levers to use, and how to measure outcomes that matter to the C-suite.”
Leveraging Health uses “suites” of levers, a metaphor for plan designs and incentives, to show benefits decision makers how to make informed decisions on benefits and services for better corporate performance.
“The Center’s first book will be a valuable tool for senior level executives at public and private organizations,” says Nayer. “Organizations of all sizes and sectors are faced with the economics of health cost and impact. Leveraging Health is the definitive reference work that dissects plan design and incentives for prevention, wellness, chronic care and delivery services. We expect that this book will expand our scope of influence far beyond the 40 million covered lives that the Center represents.”
“These are exciting times in the world of value-based design,” says Berger. “The Center and value-based design are becoming part of the national dialogue on health policy in this country. The levers of value-based design are thoughtfully articulated and positioned for those seeking strategic and practical solutions.”
Posted on 04. Sep, 2009 by admin in News
The Center for Health Value Innovation has joined with ACOEM and IBI to produce the introductory webinar on health and productivity management and value-based designs. Dr. Ron Loeppke of the ACOEM, Dr. Jack Mahoney of the Center, and Cyndy Nayer, CEO of the Center, will provide an overview of key HPM concepts, tools and business case along with the fundamentals of VBD.
With the ongoing discussions in Washington on health care reform and the potential for legislation that may include tax credits to employers offering a health and wellness program, it is imperative that the broker/consultant community understand the basic tenets of health and productivity management (HPM), and value-based designs, and their impact on the workplace.
This webinar presents an overview of HPM, specific research studies detailing the impact of poor health on a company, an introduction to HPM modeling and measurement tools, and discussion of key strategies for brokers/consultants in designing value-based programs for improved health, health-related productivity, and financial trends. During the 60-minute webinar, you will gain an understanding of the business case for HPM, the fundamentals of value-based design, the conditions that drive full costs of illness, and some real-world examples of levers to improve health and economic outcomes.
Formal presentations will be followed by a 20-minute Q&A
When: Sept 16, 2009, noon ET
Cost: $75
Registration is required at www.ACOEM.org
Posted on 25. Aug, 2009 by admin in Cyndy's Spot on Health Value, News
Cyndy’s Blog is up and running fast. We took a few days off to consider the new analyses and we’ll have a lot to share. Till then…
It’s shaping up to be a busy fall season here at the Center! Along with following the ongoing national debate on health care reform, we continue to move forward with demonstrating and disseminating the value of the VBID approach.
The most ambitious effort in that direction is our book, Leveraging Health, of which I am very proud. I’d like to publicly thank my co-authors, Dr. Jack Mahoney and Dr. Jan Berger, for the time and effort to produce the first book from the Center. Please sign up now to get your copies, and reserve your seat for the book launch at the National Press Club in Washington Sept. 30!
We will launch our first monograph, the Public Entities: VBD in Cities/Counties/States, with 5 organizational approaches to value-based designs that are very different yet produce better health for their communities. Watch for the announcement on our front page.
The launch of both the book and the monograph is being timed to coincide with the Consumer Health Care Congress in Alexandria, Va. — I predict some fascinating and very timely discussions and information-sharing. World Congress, our industry ally and the producer of the Consumer Health Care Congress, is hosting a book signing for us, and we want to thank them publicly.
IMPORTANT TRAINING: The Center, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM), and the Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI) are co-sponsoring an introductory Health and Productivity Clinic on Sep 16 12 noon ET. It’s directed to Brokers and Consultants to formally introduce the philosophy, process and some tools for Value-Based Designs. To register, go to acoem.org.
Dr. Jack Mahoney and I have also been asked to speak at the Next Generation HealthCare Delivery conference Oct. 26, also in Washington (it makes sense, since that’s where a lot of the action on health care reform is taking place!). Jack, Jan, and I will have a book signing there, as well. We want to thank the Institute for International Research (IIR), which produces the Next Gen conference, for including us in their plans.
Finally, I want to highlight some upcoming and continuing efforts that you’ll want to keep an eye on. It’s always important to me to acknowledge the immense amount of support that our members, allies and funders provide to us. Here are a few such thank-you’s with the hope to continue the work into 2010:
- HPM Clinic/webinar: Value-based designs for broker-consultant communities. We’ve worked hard with ACOEM and IBI– there’s an enormous amount of work that goes into aligning 3 organizations and launching a new educational forum. Doris Konicki, Ron Loeppke, Pam Hymel, Bill Molmen, and Tom Parry–thanks for welcoming us to your team.
- Battle Creek Michigan VBD efforts: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation–These folks believed in our community efforts from the beginning. Through their grant, we will be able to create a roadmap for community collaboration based on value that will be produced in early Spring 2010. But the community work itself happened due to the diligence and commitment of companies and people who saw a different answer to mending healthcare and producing health. All of the folks who have contributed their time, expertise, and funding in the Michigan arena, including Integrated Health Partners (Ruth, Mary Ellen–what visionaries!), Kellogg, Battle Creek Health System, City of Battle Creek, Kellogg Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Priority Health, and Denso, plus many of the companies on our Board of Advisors. This has been an amazing project with multiple stakeholders that has taught us all what “reform” could really be: better health for our citizens and our communities when the patient centered primary care is linked to value-based designs. Let’s also publicly thank the folks at Merck, Johnson and Johnson, Novartis, Novo-Nordisk, Pfizer and sanofi-aventis for the generous commitment to outcomes assistance and communication expertise.
- Camden County NJ–Jim Rhodes and Greg Smith have led a team of curious, committed folks to begin a process of value-based designs for their community. As we begin the modeling, we acknowledge the efforts of Jim/Camden County Government, Greg/Dept of Social Services, and Campbell’s, Cooper Hospital, AmeriHealth, Aetna, Horizon BCBSNJ, Medco, Conner Strong, and our early support from Merck, Johnson and Johnson, Novartis and sanofi-aventis. Partners in Care (on our Board of Directors) has been stellar as a guide in patient-centered care for this endeavor.
- First Innovators’ Summit. In June, we hosted our first innovator’s summit in June due to the generosity of the folks at Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, who provided an educational grant to the Center As a result, we’ll be publishing a decision matrix later this fall, hosting a webinar, and creating speaker slides for Value-Based Design for our Board. Watch for these posts, and many thanks to the folks at Takeda.
- Wisconsin Innovators Summit. Thank you to Merck and Co., Inc., and to Humana for the educational grant and support that will fund our next summit, an invitation-only event to showcase best-practices across the state, create a learning collaborative and monograph and highlight the variety and success of VBD.
- To our Board of Directors, our Executive Board and Laura Carabello and the folks at CPR Marketing–we’ve been running fast and furiously to share our learnings, educate and define the pathways of VBD, and provide ongoing stability to our Board.
- A Special Thank You to Mike Taylor, Medical Officer for Health Promotion at Caterpillar, and our Chair. What a yeoman’s task you have taken on, willingly and bravely, and, as the first member of our Board, I’m profoundly grateful.
Thank you, all of you, for all you do! And to you, our readers: To Your Health!!
