Network Health, a health plan providing coverage to more than 160,000 Massachusetts residents with low or moderate incomes, has partnered with Health Integrated, a leading health management solutions provider, to offer its members enhanced health coaching services.
Network Health will integrate as a private label offering the Synergy Targeted Population Management program from Health Integrated. Using data mining tools, Health Integrated will use Network Health's member data to determine those most likely to benefit from its health coaching services.
"We have a comprehensive approach to managing our overall population, with a special focus on our high-risk and chronic population," said Mary Jane McKendry, senior director of clinical affairs operations for Network Health. "Part of our comprehensive approach is to say, 'What are those improved outcomes that can improve our members interaction with us and improve they quality of their lives?'"
The Synergy program focuses on chronic ailments that often take up the bulk of healthcare dollars, including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure and asthma. It also focuses on patients that have co-morbid behavioral health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, or other psychosocial factors that negatively affect physical health.
"Using care coordination and coaching, Synergy empowers an important patient base to be more knowledgeable about their own health, more motivated to follow prescribed treatments and better able to establish and achieve goals for healthier lives," said Sam Toney, MD, vice chairman and chief medical officer of Health Integrated.
The Synergy program, which includes access to care coaches to help with adherence to a treatment plan, can help to drive clinical improvement measures. Toney said deploying Synergy to focus on improving the health of low and moderate income residents is important since these members "disproportionately suffer from multiple chronic conditions with psychosocial factors that exacerbate physical symptoms and disease progression."
"Health Integrated's approach works for us since it is a holistic approach that focuses on certain high-risk members," said McKendry. "We also liked that they include behavioral health in their total holistic approach to managing members. They have a lot of Medicaid experience, which was very important for us."
In a peer-reviewed study conducted with the HealthNow health plan in New York, the Synergy program showed both improved outcomes and a nearly 4-to-1 return on investment.
"Most patients treated for chronic conditions, such as depression, are seen by doctors who don't specialize in mental health," said Karen Blount, vice president of healthcare services at HealthNow. "This program, which focuses on supporting primary care physicians while empowering members to better self-care, has now been proven, with validation of results, to drive successful outcomes."