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2015 AAIHDS Innovation Award
The criteria for the 2015 AAIHDS Innovation
Award which was sponsored by DGA Partners
includes:
-
Highlight innovative solutions that
bring increased value to the healthcare
delivery system
-
Improve population health
-
Demonstrate the important role of the
provider engagement and collaboration in
transforming the healthcare delivery
system
To sponsor or apply for the 2016
Innovation awards, contact Katie Eads at
keads@aaihds.org.
Candidates include:
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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana
– “Quality Blue Primary Care”
-
JPS Health Network
– “Improving Care Transitions: JPS
Congestive Heart Failure Program
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”Ochsner
Health System –
“The Ochsner Hypertension Digital
Medicine Program”
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Populytics, Inc –
“Driving Better Health Care and Cost
Containment”
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St.
Elizabeth Healthcare –
“Complex Discharge Planning for High
Risk Populations”
-
Swedish Covenant Hospital - “Employee
/ Spouse Wellness Program”
The winner of the 2015 AAIHDS Innovation
Award is:
Ochsner Health System –
“The Ochsner Hypertension Digital Medicine
Program”
Description of their program:
Hypertension is the most common chronic condition in the United States,
affecting 30% of adults with an annual estimated cost of over $50 billion.
Hypertension is also the most common diagnosis made at primary care office
visits and historically has been treated exclusively in the provider’s office,
presenting issues pertaining to effective treatment, management, and patient
engagement. Without regularly scheduled visits, blood pressure information
obtained can be inconsistent and unreliable – neither of which is beneficial in
forming the basis of further treatment. Current approaches to managing
hypertension are largely ineffective –one half of all hypertension patients are
unable to reach blood pressure control – particularly in Louisiana where, with
39.8% prevalence, we are 47th in the nation. Neighboring states
Mississippi and Alabama follow close behind at 48th (40.2%
prevalence) and 49th (40.3% prevalence) respectively, making
hypertension an issue for the Gulf South region as a whole.
To address the problem of
hypertension, the Center for Innovation
created the Ochsner Hypertension Digital
Medicine program (HDM). Using unique and
collaborative methods to combine innovative
technologies with treatment tools and a team
of health care professionals, HDM addresses
hypertension holistically, providing
patients with a convenient way to
effectively manage high blood pressure while
supplementing their management with an
in-depth education on hypertension and
lifestyle changes to improve their control.
Best of all, the patients can send blood
pressure data to the HDM team from the
comfort of their home, elimination
transportation issues.
To enroll in the program,
patients must be referred by their primary
care provider which allows their PCP to be
actively engaged in their treatment plan.
Once referred, patients complete online
questionnaires focusing on social,
behavioral and clinical aspects of their
health which are then used to tailor
treatment approaches to their individual
needs. Patients purchase a wireless blood
pressure cuff which they use to send daily
readings to a team of dedicated clinical
pharmacists and health coaches. The team
receives the blood pressure readings and
combine with any identified social,
behavioral, and clinical issues to make
treatment changes or medication adjustments
remotely – consulting with the physician
only as needed.
Throughout participation in
HDM, both patients and providers are treated
as collaborators in gaining and maintaining
control over hypertension. Patient
communication in the form of welcome
letters, text message reminders, and monthly
patient report cards provide opportunities
for patients to highlight changes in their
health and identify areas for improvement.
Providers receive monthly reports containing
updated information on each of their
enrolled patients, enabling them to review
data and recommend any adjustments to
treatment or medication.
By utilizing different points
of access to help the patient get their
blood pressure under control and maintain a
healthy blood pressure, the HDM program has
seen great success. Every patient in the
HDM program, as well as the control group
receiving the usual care in the clinic, were
uncontrolled at the start of the year.
After 180 days, only 26% of the patients
receiving the usual care were in control
compared to 68% of patients in the HDM
program. (Please see below for graph).
Ochsner Health System’s
Center for Innovation fosters a
collaborative environment and firmly
believes in the power of sharing knowledge
within the healthcare delivery system. The
Center for Innovation has shared their
workflows and technical build with over two
dozen health systems so far, and routinely
speak at national conferences.
To sponsor or apply for the
2016 Innovation Award,
contact Katie Eads at
keads@aaihds.org.
The 2016 Innovation Award
will be presented at the 2016 Fall Managed
Care Forum.
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