Healthcare organizations take diverse approaches to enable Population Health Management

BOSTON, June 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Population health management (PHM) models are difficult to develop and replicate due in large part to unique, local market circumstances.  This is forcing healthcare organizations (HCO) to begin their PHM journey from different starting points in a complex, diverse, and competitive market. The fragmented, regionalized nature of the healthcare market creates challenges for HCOs and their supporting vendors to deliver consistent, replicable PHM solutions that are scalable across the industry. The PHM road they travel varies accordingly.

Amidst the challenges, HCOs are taking a variety of approaches to deploy PHM strategies and models that are producing positive results. Recognizing there will never be a one-size-fits-all model that generates positive outcomes across all metrics, there is much to be learned from these early adopters now that they have been implementing PHM strategies for five or more years. 

The latest report from Chilmark Research, Driving Speed to Value: Three Diverse Approaches to PHM, delves into three case studies to examine the clinical and technology models in force to enable a PHM strategy.  We tackled this research project with a lens toward increasing PHM speed to value and helping to identify optimal health IT (HIT) enablement. This report combines the findings from these case studies with additional primary and secondary research to distill common themes and provide recommendations for other HCOs considering or already deploying a PHM strategy of their own. 

The approaches taken by our three case study HCOs to PHM highlight a stark contrast in PHM strategies and technology models.

• Trenton Health Team: Community collaborative and health information exchange that relies on a single-sourced HIT vendor
• Partners Healthcare: Large regional health system that has taken an extremely broad build-and-buy HIT portfolio approach
• Marshfield Clinical Health System: Vertically integrated health system that has developed and deployed a proprietary electronic health record and PHM integrated technology platform

After reviewing the impetus within each organization for initially undertaking a PHM strategy, we then describe their clinical model and outcomes achieved.  The report takes a close look into the enabling PHM technology solutions at each organization, reviewing both the timeline for, and the drivers of, technology and vendor decisions that each organization made along their journey. Each case study concludes with the critical lessons learned by each organization.

While many factors are external and outside the HCO's power to influence, there are steps an HCO can take to drive speed to value in deployments. HCO recommendations are consolidated in this report around two general themes:

• Develop Enterprise-Level Thinking
• Become a Methodology-Driven Organization

"To balance the challenges of deploying PHM models, there is a growing body of case studies and industry toolkits to help HCOs just beginning to develop their PHM strategy. HCOs need to be aware of this small but emerging collection of best practices, lest they risk reinventing the wheel at their own cost," said Jennifer Rogers, Chilmark Research analyst and author of this report. "As an industry, we can increase the socialization of toolkits and case studies so that HCOs can more clearly define all aspects of PHM model design. This will in turn enable HCOs to optimally deploy IT and ultimately increase PHM speed to value."

Anyone interested in better understanding the factors within HCO control as they consider formulating their PHM strategies, applicable lessons learned and recommendations, as well as a sampling of additional no-cost resources for PHM and VBC best practices, will gain strategic insight from reading Driving Speed to Value: Three Diverse Approaches to PHM. HCOs, payers, healthcare IT vendors, consultants, investors, patient advocates, and others will also benefit from this in-depth research report.

The report is available to subscribers of the Chilmark Advisory Service or may be purchased separately. For more information, visit www.chilmarkresearch.com/reports. Direct inquiries for purchase should be addressed to Sean Campbell at [email protected]. There was also a webinar recorded on May 17 available for viewing on the report sales page.

About Chilmark Research:
Chilmark Research is the only industry analyst firm focusing solely on the most transformational trends in healthcare IT. We combine proven research methodologies with intelligence and insight to provide cogent analyses of the emerging technologies that have the greatest potential to improve healthcare. We do not shy away from making tough calls, and are respected in the industry for our direct and thoughtful commentary. For more information visit: www.chilmarkresearch.com/

Media Contact:
Jennifer Rogers
[email protected]
801-733-9386

SOURCE Chilmark Research

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