At VCPI’s recent annual Connections conference for healthcare executives, guest speaker Brent Hardaway gave a thought-provoking and informative presentation focusing on post-acute services and developing partnerships in population health management.
Hardaway, Vice President of Premier Consulting Solutions, nationally respected for their work in building healthcare alliances, talked about the changing healthcare landscape and both the burden and opportunity it offers for all providers, from hospitals and ACOs to Senior Living facilities. He noted that approximately 50% of US healthcare spending is concentrated in just 5% of the population and 97% is concentrated in 50% of the population.
Furthermore, Hardaway said, healthcare spending is growing exponentially due to payment misalignment (rewarding volume, focused on silos, competing incentives and legal impediments to collaboration, among others); our outdated focus on “sick care” rather than “healthcare”; industry fragmentation leading to significant practice variations; and a lack of consumer engagement.
Add to this the upcoming Affordable Care Act mandates for payment reform and greater accountability, control and coordination of both costs and quality of care and the resulting perfect storm will separate those providers who accept and prepare for healthcare’s paradigm shift from those who refuse to embrace the change.
How to do so, you ask? Not surprising, a strong reliance on developing or improving current information exchanges and EMR systems will be critical, but that’s only one important step for you to take. Contact us to find out more about how we can support you in these efforts!
