Colorado Access and Amitech: Trailblazing Big Data Analytics Critical to Healthcare Transformation in Medicaid

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Colorado Access (COA) has tapped health care data analytics consulting firm Amitech Solutions to rebuild their data management and analytics infrastructure from the ground up. With this ambitious project, they will be at the forefront of Medicaid Managed health care companies using data to full advantage.  The requirement for dramatic upgrades in data analytics at COA highlights an inevitable and growing trend for Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), as well as other health care organizations. 

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that one in four dollars of the average state budget is now spent on Medicaid. Medicaid MCOs must evolve to improve coordination of care, increase population health management programs, and embrace new value-based payment models to survive. 

"We definitely see a growing need for deeper data analytics capabilities in Medicaid MCOs and other healthcare clients," said Amit Bhagat, CEO of Amitech.  "However, these new data use cases necessitate sophisticated, flexible technical infrastructures, tools and processes that many healthcare organizations simply do not have today.  We're thrilled to be working with Colorado Access on a best-in-class platform that will truly transform how they serve their members." 

The challenges faced by COA in data management are not uncommon in this rapidly changing health care landscape:  a steadily increasing amount of data that is coming in more rapidly, from more disparate sources, and in more types (including unstructured data). Amitech, a nationally renowned health care data management specialist, was brought in to design and implement the new solution to turn that data burden into a distinct advantage for Colorado Access and its members.

"Our new capacity to handle and analyze large amounts of data from multiple sources, quickly, will be instrumental in achieving several vital goals," explained Don Couch, CIO at Colorado Access.  Specifically, the state of Colorado and COA will be working together on an initiative that will join physical and behavioral health management under one accountable entity, strengthening coordination of services through team-based care and health neighborhoods, promoting member choice and engagement, ensuring greater accountability and transparency, aligning with emerging value-based payment models, and to ultimately use state resources wisely. 

The trailblazing approach by Colorado Access embraces several next-generation tools and techniques. The platform utilizes a cloud-based Hadoop data lake environment and will take advantage of cutting-edge streaming data technologies, business unit-specific data marts, and high-end reporting and analytics tools.

When complete, COA will gain a truly person-centric view of their data.  Gaps in care, inefficiencies, and best practices can be identified systemically.  And the underlying data integration infrastructure will be able to support near real-time time insights from incoming data to trigger immediate engagement.

This new data ecosystem will represent a sea-change in the ability Colorado Access has to leverage their data to the benefit of their business, the state of Colorado, and the Medicaid members under their care. It also will serve as a leading model for payers and providers moving into the next phase of health care data enablement.  

About Colorado Access

Founded in 1994, Colorado Access is a local, nonprofit health plan that serves more than one million members. The company's members receive health care under Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), and Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid Program) behavioral and physical health, and long-term support programs. Colorado Access provides care coordination and management for three (3) of the seven (7) regions under the Accountable Care Collaborative program offered through Health First Colorado. The company administers three regional behavioral health organizations, serving more than 700,000 members accessing behavioral health services with Health First Colorado. Colorado Access is the state's largest single entry point agency, coordinating long-term service and supports for more than 10,000 Health First Colorado recipients. To learn more about Colorado Access, visit coaccess.com.

About Amitech

At Amitech, we believe in informed healthcare for better health. Headquartered in St. Louis, Amitech is a leading healthcare data analytics and management consulting firm that draws on more than two decades of industry experience for our clients. Dedicated solely to healthcare, our business is based on a deep understanding of the challenges our clients face.  Our consultants design, implement, and support data-driven solutions within business analytics, population health, clinical analytics, care management, digital health, big data, and IoT.  We work with some of the largest and most well-known hospital systems and health plans in the US.  With every solution we deliver, and every strategy we recommend, we remain trusted advisors that do not sleep until our clients achieve their desired business outcomes.  To learn more about Amitech, visit www.amitechsolutions.com.

For more information contact:
Billy Cassano
[email protected]
(618) 670-3955

SOURCE Amitech Solutions, Inc.

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