NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Three keynote speakers examined some of the healthcare industry’s most pressing issues during Aegis Health Group's recent I3 conference, held semi-annually in Nashville. Keynote speakers included Steve Barger, past president of the International Foundation of Employee Health Plans in Louisville, Kentucky; Jeff Price, vice president of Summa Health Networks in Akron, Ohio; and Tom Dandridge, FACHE, president and CEO of The Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
In his presentation, “The Employer Health Asset Management Roadmap,” Barger offered hospital leaders a path for making employee health an integral part of their “asset-management” strategy. This approach was based on the work done by The Change Agent Work Group, of which Barger is a member. “The Asset Roadmap” made the link between employee health initiatives as achievable business objectives and fostering a healthier and more productive workforce. “At the core of any successful workforce wellness initiative are attainable timeframes and measurable goals,” said Barger. He believes that hospital partners should play an integral role in constructing and managing partnerships with local employers designed to improve workforce health.
Driven by its commitment to creating a healthier community, Summa Health System has been on the forefront of establishing an accountable care organization (ACO). The system’s strategy integrates a better and more efficient model of care as well as programs targeting local employer groups. Price’s presentation, “Employer Engagement: Supporting an Accountable Care Organization,” examined essential components of an ACO, which include:
- A robust network both of primary care physicians (PCPs) and specialists.
- Targeted service lines and areas of clinical focus.
- A sound infrastructure for collecting and managing population health information.
- Reimbursement models that reward value.
- Solid partnerships between providers, payers and employers.
Exploring the stormy waters of healthcare reform, RMC’s Dandridge provided both a historical perspective and current insights about today’s market dynamics along with the challenges these present to hospitals. During his presentation, “Scratch Your Head Challenges in the ‘Now’ of Healthcare Reform,” Dandridge explained how an integrated physician relationship program and an employer-directed wellness initiative have contributed to RMC’s success in adapting to the new directives of healthcare reform. “By taking a strategic approach to working with physicians and local employers, we have been able to enhance loyalty among our medical staff and grow market share,” he said.
About Aegis Health Group
Aegis Health Group has assisted hundreds of hospitals with proven-effective business development strategies for more than 20 years. Its strategic Population Health Management solutions enable hospitals to grow market share and revenue by identifying and intelligently managing the health risks of local consumers within the community they serve. Complementing this Aegis’ data-driven Physician Relationship Management strategy creates strategic alignment between hospitals and their medical staff to drive service-line growth, enhance patient care and quality, and provide timely issue resolution. Further information about Aegis is available at www.AegisGroup.com or on their blog at www.aegishi4.com.