News
CLEVELAND — University Hospitals (UH) has joined with leading health systems across the United States to participate in the Medicaid Transformation Project (MTP), a national effort to transform health care and related social needs for the nearly 75 million Americans who rely on Medicaid for health care. Led by AVIA and Andy Slavitt, former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,MTP strives to enable better health and outcomes for vulnerable populations, while also reducing costs.
Through MTP, 27 health systems that span 25 states will expand the impact that digitally enabled care models can have on the physical, mental, and behavioral health of Medicaid patients and other vulnerable populations.
“In taking this step, UH further illustrates its commitment to keeping our community healthy at home,” said Eric Beck, DO, MPH, President of UH Ventures. “The Medicaid Transformation Project is providing us with an opportunity to partner with other forward-thinking health systems in extending our reach beyond the four walls and into the home around the patient’s specific needs.”
In addition to MTP participation, UH has formed a broader agreement with AVIA as a Member of the AVIA Innovator Network. AVIA will support UH in many areas, including advancing UH’s consumer strategy. Based in Chicago, AVIA leads a network of more than 40 health systems that have committed to identifying, implementing, and scaling digital solutions to solve challenges that range from clinician burnout to virtual health to patient engagement.
“The care for Medicaid patients can be so much better than it currently is. Through the partnership, UH will help explore new narratives that value is all of our responsibilities, and identify promising practices and technologies that can eliminate defects in value in the care of Medicaid patients,” said Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, Chief Clinical Transformation Officer of UH . “The wisdom and technologies for how to improve care for these patients in many cases already exist. AVIA will help cull these capabilities from other member systems and help to implement them so that we can all provide Medicaid patients the type of care and services that people deserve, providers desire, and payors demand.”
MTP will initially focus on four areas: the emergency department, behavioral health, maternal and infant care, and substance and opioid use. MTP also brings to light the current health disparities seen in communities across the country. For example, a leading indicator of such disparity is life expectancy, which is highly correlated with ZIP code, income, and race. Insufficient healthcare access, patient engagement, and social determinants create variations in life expectancy between communities that are just a mile or two apart.MTP’s commitment is to close the gap in care and outcomes through a renewed focus on innovation and investment.
Further information: MTP Website and News release.
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Media Contact
George Stamatis
Sr. Media Relations Strategist
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
George.stamatis@uhhospitals.org
216.844.3667
About University Hospitals / Cleveland, Ohio
Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 18 hospitals, more than 50 health centers and outpatient facilities, and 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system’s flagship academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, located in Cleveland’s University Circle, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The main campus also includes University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the nation; University Hospitals MacDonald Women’s Hospital, Ohio’s only hospital for women; University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, a high-volume national referral center for complex cardiovascular procedures; and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women’s health, orthopedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, transplantation and urology. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including “America’s Best Hospitals” from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals – part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with 28,000 physicians and employees. Advancing the Science of Health and the Art of Compassionis UH’s vision for benefitting its patients into the future, and the organization’s unwavering mission is To Heal. To Teach. To Discover. Follow UH on Facebook @UniversityHospitals and Twitter @UHhospitals. For more information, visit UHhospitals.org.
About AVIA
AVIA leads a network of health systems working together to innovate and transform. AVIA Innovator Network Members solve pressing challenges with digital solutions that deliver financial and clinical results. AVIA provides strategic focus and a collaborative approach to accelerate innovation. Learn more at aviahealthinnovation.com. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.