Innovative MCO Eastpointe Human Services Launches Care Management Technology Platform Ahead of North Carolina's Medicaid Transition

RESTON, Va., July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Altruista Health and North Carolina's Eastpointe Human Services today noted Eastpointe's successful launch of Altruista's care management technology, supporting whole-person care for Medicaid members in 10 counties. The implementation was completed on a condensed timetable that has Eastpointe well-prepared for the state's transition to Medicaid managed care – the largest change to the program in more than 40 years.

Eastpointe is a public managed care organization serving people with mental health challenges, substance use issues, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. As part of the statewide Medicaid transition, Eastpointe is integrating medical and pharmacy care into their member services. They chose Altruista's GuidingCare® last year to address this challenge.

To add these services and participate in Medicaid managed care, North Carolina requires National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accreditation. Fortunately, GuidingCare (Version 8.7+) achieved NCQA Prevalidation for Population Health Management (PHM) in Health Plan Accreditation in 2018. This automatically credits Eastpointe for meeting standards in population health, data integration, risk stratification, care management and other technologies.

"The NCQA prevalidation was key for us when we selected Altruista in 2019," said Eastpointe Chief Executive Officer Sarah N. Stroud. "It significantly reduces the burden on our internal resources and helps us meet the rigorous quality metrics that ensure the best care and experience for our members. We know these high standards are integrated and maintained in the GuidingCare platform."

Eastpointe has been recognized for innovations and provider collaborations that improve members' lives while lowering overall healthcare costs. Eastpointe was intentional about making the move to Altruista's fully integrated platform, despite the delay in North Carolina's transition to managed care for Medicaid.

"We forged ahead because this is the future of Medicaid in North Carolina and we intend to serve our members with integrated, whole-person care," Stroud said. "This is the right thing to do for the communities we serve." 

Strong collaboration between the teams made the go-live possible just nine months after the project started. The implementation kicked off in late September 2019, with the system in design mode until January 2020, when testing began. The go-live for Eastpointe's 15 fully trained users – and the 35,000 members they serve – was May 28.

"We truly value our partnership with Eastpointe and are proud to be supporting them during this historic transformation of North Carolina's Medicaid program," said Mike McKitterick, RN, Altruista Executive Vice President of Clinical Services. "Our two organizations are an excellent fit for this major effort and we are off to a great start."

About Altruista Health

Altruista Health delivers care management and population health management solutions that support value-based and person-centered care models. Its GuidingCare® technology platform integrates care management, care coordination and quality improvement programs through a suite of sophisticated yet easy-to-use web applications. GuidingCare is the largest and most widely adopted platform of its kind in the United States. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area, Altruista Health has grown into a recognized industry leader, and was named twice as one of the Top Population Health Management Companies to Know by Becker's Healthcare. Health plans and healthcare providers use GuidingCare to transform their processes, reduce avoidable expenses and improve patient health outcomes. For more information, visit www.altruistahealth.com.

About Eastpointe

Eastpointe is a public managed care organization dedicated to working with individuals and families in eastern North Carolina who struggle with mental health challenges, substance use issues, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. In partnership with over 300 providers, Eastpointe helps the uninsured and those on Medicaid get personalized, comprehensive treatment. Deeply rooted in its communities, Eastpointe proudly serves the counties of Bladen, Duplin, Edgecombe, Greene, Lenoir, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Wayne and Wilson. For more information, visit www.eastpointe.net.

SOURCE Altruista Health

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