LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Humana (NYSE: HUM) and the University of Houston announced the launch of a Value-based Care Specialization online program to support providers, academia and other business and industry professionals and the public in learning about the fundamentals and real-world application of value-based care that has become integral to improving outcomes in health care.
Surveys show that there is a varied understanding of the definition of value-based care within the health care industry. As two enterprises focused on equipping future clinicians and health care professionals with the tools they need to deliver exemplary care, Humana and the University of Houston, through their collaborative Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute, embarked on a mission to create this comprehensive specialization that can help bridge the VBC knowledge gap. The flexible, fully-online program is available to learners around the world through Coursera, a global online learning platform.
“This readily available and affordable option will support those who are working with practices and providers to create better outcomes for their patients,” said Tray Cockerell, director of strategy advancement for Humana. “It’s more important than ever, with the tumult caused by COVID-19, that practices focus on prevention and care coordination. We learned in 2020 that providers in value-based care agreements were better positioned to withstand the financial impact the pandemic brought on the health care industry because they had established patient-centered medical practices. Because they could quickly pivot their resources into action to best serve patients, their income was not as drastically affected as those of their fee-for-service peers.”
“It’s essential that those who work to improve the health of their communities speak the same language,” said Dr. LeChauncy Woodard, general internist and founding director, Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute at the University of Houston. “The collaboration on this content assures that everyone, from the physician and nurse, to social workers, pharmacists and claims representatives, as well as consumers of health care understand what it takes to work together. These multisector partnerships help to ensure patients are receiving the best possible care and achieving the best outcomes at the lowest possible cost.”
“The health care industry is rapidly changing, and high-quality, flexible learning can help support medical professionals preparing for the future,” said Betty Vandenbosch, Chief Content Officer at Coursera. “We are excited to partner with leaders such as the University of Houston and Humana to offer job-relevant content in the emerging area of value-based care.”
The Value-Based Care Specialization program comprises six courses and a capstone project, with each course composed of 2-3 learning modules and a summative assignment. Participants may take any of the six courses independently (receiving a certificate for each) or collectively for the specialization designation. To learn more, visit the Value-based Care Specialization home page.
The Value-based Care Specialization program is a natural progression for the Humana Integrated Health System Sciences Institute at the University of Houston, a strategic partnership to train future health care leaders with a focus on providing holistic, collaborative care to improve health outcomes. The institute fosters inter-professional, team-based care in the colleges of medicine, nursing, optometry, pharmacy and social work and beyond, preparing students to thrive in the changing health care ecosystem.
Humana has an extensive and growing value-based care presence. As of Dec. 31, 2020, Humana has more than 2.7 million individual Medicare Advantage and commercial members who are cared for by more than 67,000 primary care physicians in more than 1,000 value-based relationships across 43 states and Puerto Rico. As of January 2021, Humana’s total Medicare Advantage membership is more than 4.8 million members, which includes members affiliated with providers in value-based and standard Medicare Advantage settings. For more information, visit www.humana.com/valuebasedcare.
About Humana
Humana Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large.
To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:
- Annual reports to stockholders
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings
- Most recent investor conference presentations
- Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls
- Calendar of events
- Corporate Governance information
About University of Houston
The University of Houston is a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university recognized with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter for excellence in undergraduate education. UH serves the globally competitive Houston and Gulf Coast Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's fourth-largest city and one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse regions in the country, UH is a federally designated Hispanic- and Asian-American-Serving institution with enrollment of more than 47,000 students.
About Coursera
Coursera was founded by Daphne Koller and Andrew Ng with a vision of providing life-transforming learning experiences to anyone, anywhere. It is now a leading online learning platform for higher education, where 77 million learners from around the world come to learn skills of the future. More than 200 of the world’s leading universities and industry educators partner with Coursera to offer courses, Specializations, projects, certificates, and degree programs. Thousands of companies trust the company’s enterprise platform Coursera for Business to transform their talent. Coursera for Government equips government employees and citizens with in-demand skills to build a competitive workforce. Coursera for Campus empowers any university to offer high-quality, job-relevant online education to students, alumni, faculty, and staff. Coursera is backed by leading investors that include Kleiner Perkins, New Enterprise Associates, Learn Capital, and SEEK Group.
