Health Care Delivery and Benefit Innovation Claims the Spotlight on Capitol Hill

OCTOBER 28, 2012 BY LARRY MCNEELY

October 19, 2012

Contact: Cristina Flores

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Health Care Delivery and Benefit Innovation Claims the Spotlight on Capitol Hill

Innovations that curb health costs by improving care took center stage at the National Coalition on Health Care (NCHC) Forum on Capitol Hill today.

“Across this country, nurses, physicians and health plans are implementing exciting solutions that lower costs and improve care. It is time we brought these programs to scale,” said event moderator Joe Minarik. Minarik serves as a member of NCHC’s Board and as Senior Vice President and Research Director at the Committee for Economic Development.

The event’s panel discussion featured real world leaders who are leading successful efforts to improve health care value.

Joelle Frizzera, a nurse practitioner and Clinical Services Manager for Evercare Mid-Atlantic, supervises a program that relies on nurse practitioners to improve care for frail nursing home residents with complex medical needs.

“The Evercare Model is really about providing accountable care, demonstrating better quality, outcomes and satisfaction – and in a manner that treats each patient according to their best care needs and options.  And we’re able to do this for patients in their existing care environment which means care costs are cut significantly,” said Frizzera.

Bill Estabrook, Executive Director of the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund (OP &F), is responsible for the retirement and health benefits of 55,000 active members, retirees and their family members. Implementing the Diabetes Prevention Program as part of a broader health and wellness effort helped his organization achieve savings as large as 16% below previous trends.

“The wellness initiatives in place at OP&F have been popular and effective. I speak from experience as not only the CEO of our organization, but someone who was identified as high risk for Type 2 Diabetes. My coworkers and I have all benefited from the programs in place and the money spent on this initiative pays dividends in many ways.”

Dr. Jerry Penso, the Chief Medical and Quality Officer for the American Medical Group Association, highlighted ways to help consumers and patients choose high-quality, integrated health care providers and systems.

According to Penso, “At some point in our lives, each of us will face an illness for ourselves or a loved one, so choosing the right doctor can be a critical decision.  Yet choosing the right physician is only one part of the equation—finding a high-performing health care system that supports your physician in delivering excellent care is also vital to achieving the best health.”

This event is the fifth of an ongoing series of NCHC Forums, which are designed to bring together thought-leaders, policymakers and stakeholders for timely public discussions about the future of America’s health system.