Moving Intelligent Change Forward
December, 2017 Vol. 2 - In This Issue:
As 2017 comes to an end, there is more information than ever about technological innovation that could truly transform the delivery, effectiveness and evaluation of outcomes in care. At the same time, the coverage and payment environment is in flux (and some would argue, unstable). A conversation about value -- and innovation's role in determining and delivering value to patients - is a potential beacon to get us through the murky changes ahead.

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UnitedHealth's Optum launches $250M investment fund

UnitedHealth and Optum executives announced the creation of the fund, Optum Ventures, during an investor conference in New York City Tuesday. The goal of the fund is to invest in digital health firms "that use data and insights to help improve consumers' access to healthcare services" and improve "how care is delivered and paid for ... [to] make the health care system more reliable and easier to navigate," according to the report. 
 
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Change Healthcare, Google Cloud team up on enterprise imaging solutions 


Nashville-based Change Healthcare is partnering with Google Cloud to develop imaging solutions for healthcare providers. The collaboration will wed Google Cloud's machine-learning technology with Change's software and analytics with the goal of bringing actionable insights to care teams.  
 
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Google: Doctors will be able to use speech recognition tech for taking notes 

It's no secret that physicians dread the EHR.
Evidence is piling up that EHR places more administrative burden on physicians and keeps them from interacting with a patient. Some have hired scribes to help with tasks such as note-taking and charting.      
 
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Improving Care And Lowering Costs: Evidence And Lessons From A Global Analysis Of Accountable Care Reforms 

 
Policy makers and providers are under increasing pressure to find innovative approaches to achieving better health outcomes as efficiently as possible. Accountable care, which holds providers accountable for results rather than specific services, is emerging in many countries to support such care innovations.

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States Report Savings In Medicaid Test Coordinating Health, Social Services

Ten states and Puerto Rico are part of the national pilot project. A report by the National Governors Association finds that Alaska and Puerto Rico are already seeing substantial improvements. News outlets report on other Medicaid developments from Iowa, Connecticut, Louisiana, Wisconsin and Michigan .  
 
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Why invest in redesigning care for people with complex needs?

When people with complex needs require medical services, they often encounter a health care system that is poorly coordinated, inefficient, and expensive. They face many challenges such as chronic conditions, behavioral health issues, trauma history, food insecurity, and homelessness. High-need patients often experience poor outcomes due to avoidable emergency department visits and hospital stays that do not improve their health.
 
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Attack On Asthma: Scrubbing Homes Of Allergens May Tame Disease And Its Costs


After years of studying the causes of asthma, a pediatrician-turned-public health sleuth thinks there's a way to substantially reduce its impact.  But the approach faces a big hurdle: getting someone to pay for it, said Dr. Elizabeth Matsui, a professor at Johns Hopkins medical school in Baltimore.  
 
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Health IT Development of the Year: Epic's Share Everywhere 


As EHRs evolve, a few key issues will continue to crop up. One is interoperability, and another is the question of who has access to patient records. Epic had those thorny questions in mind when it developed its new global interoperability platform Share Everywhere. 
 
Passion + Quality = Change That Matters
  
I embrace the powerful opportunities in our evolving health care landscape. I founded Momentum Health Strategies to be a catalyst for change through continuous learning, diverse engagement and thoughtful policy and practice initiatives. I deliver innovative, strategic thinking and a passion for improving the patient experience. My personal drive and dedication to high-quality results will help you navigate the competitive terrain you face and convert your vision to action.

Momentum Health Strategies

Jennifer L Bright, MPA
(703) 628 - 0534