The latest from the Washington Health Alliance:

An Equitable Approach to Addressing Acute Low Back Pain

In our final release from the Acute Low Back Pain Implementation Collaborative, we highlight a key focus of the collaborative's work: equitable care. From the onset, the collaborative, which brought together healthcare purchasers, health plans, and healthcare providers, knew addressing equity was essential to ensure the delivery of high-quality care for acute low back pain.

This paper outlines specific steps stakeholders can take throughout the Acute Low Back Pain Care Pathway to ensure equitable care.

Read the full paper.

Public/Private Partnership Comes Together to Support Primary Care Transformation

Facing mounting challenges with the primary care system, a public, private partnership of some of Washington’s largest employers and healthcare purchasers has formed to use their collective power to drive change toward a comprehensive transformation of primary care.

Learn more about the partnership.

Alliance voices support for release of federal primary care action plan

Joining a number of other organizations nationwide, the Washington Health Alliance wrote to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra requesting the release of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Action Plan for Primary Care.

Like much of the nation, Washington is facing mounting challenges in the delivery of high-quality primary care to all our residents. From inadequate access to a lack of financial support, primary care in our state continues to be on shaky ground.

Read our letter to the Department of Health and Human Services

Colon Cancer: A leading cause of cancer death in Washington

With colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in Washington State and across the nation, efforts to address early screening and treatment are more important than ever.

Yet many care gaps exist.

In mid-September, the Alliance hosted experts to discuss actions that employers, health plans, and health care providers can take to close care gaps and ensure that everyone gets appropriate screening and treatment.

Check out our highlights from the colon cancer webinar.

Putting a focus on achieving hospital fair price

In partnership with the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions and more than a dozen other healthcare coalitions, the Washington Health Alliance is working to put the focus on achieving hospital fair price.

As part of that effort, this partnership has released ‘Setting the Record Straight: The Urgency of Achieving Hospital Fair Price,’ which debunks some common myths about rising hospital prices.

Read Setting the Record Straight.

Alliance Welcomes New Member: Business Health Trust

The Alliance would like to welcome our newest member, Business Health Trust. This Seattle-based company is a leader in providing competitive access to benefits for small and mid-sized Washington businesses.