TOLEDO, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ProMedica, a not-for-profit, mission-based health care organization, is redefining health care for millions of people with a new approach that provides greater access to quality care and wellness programs across the country. The approach prioritizes social determinants of health (SDOH), senior care, market-specific customized programs and innovation.
Calling the movement the Healthcare Redefined Initiative, ProMedica is working to improve overall health and well-being by focusing on the environments where people live, work and play. The goal is to help people stay healthy, happy and independent for as long as possible to keep them out of the hospital and reduce health care costs across the board.
“We acknowledge that the health care system in the U.S. is broken, and we believe we are uniquely positioned to create meaningful changes to impact millions of Americans,” said Randy Oostra, DM, FACHE, president and chief executive officer, ProMedica. “The result will be greater access to high-quality care and resources that will allow people to achieve their full health potential.”
Social Determinants of Health
Addressing social determinants of health – such as economic stability and education access – will play a significant role in this approach. Using something as simple as a ZIP code, ProMedica can quickly discern the community’s health narrative and identify potential health improvement priorities and integrated care opportunities in the community. For instance, if there are fewer healthy food sources in a specific ZIP code, ProMedica could work with local leaders to ensure people who live and work in that area are offered healthier choices to improve quality of life.
“By the year 2030, we expect addressing social determinants of health will be the norm when it comes to how the health care industry delivers care,” Oostra said. “ProMedica is committed to making that holistic approach a reality now, leveraging social determinants of health data and analytics to refine our processes to best meet patient needs. We can use data to turn health care on its head.”
Senior Care
ProMedica, which in 2020 brought HCR ManorCare under the health system’s umbrella as ProMedica Senior Care, is also expanding the Healthcare Redefined Initiative within the senior care sector, focusing on championing healthy aging and independent living. Since its acquisition of HCR ManorCare in 2018, ProMedica has significantly invested not only financially, but also through resources and partnerships to improve the facilities, which operated under the respected names of Heartland, ManorCare and Arden Courts. ProMedica Senior Care offerings span the full spectrum of care, including wellness, skilled nursing and rehabilitation, memory care, assisted living, palliative, hospice and home care.
“As 2020 unfolded, we witnessed the frailest and most vulnerable members of our community impacted physically and psychologically by COVID-19,” said Dr. Mark Gloth, chief medical officer, ProMedica Senior Care. “Health care professionals and support staff everywhere have been nothing short of heroic in their efforts to enhance and improve patient care, from refining infection control practices and advancing groundbreaking treatment options to providing innovations in clinical safety, medical care delivery and psychosocial support. The Healthcare Redefined Initiative encompasses all of the industry-leading initiatives and lessons learned, and is using them to forge the future of health care.”
Market-Specific Customized Programs
As part of the initiative, ProMedica also will enhance its focus on tailored programs within its local markets, customizing for each community’s specific needs. For example, in 2021, ProMedica partnered with the Green & Healthy Homes Initiative on a multi-year project to improve the safety and energy efficiency of homes in several major cities in need of safe and affordable housing, with a goal to focus on unsafe conditions in 7,000 homes. ProMedica’s Healthcare Redefined Initiative will continue a cross-pollination of ideas linked to the organization’s successful efforts, such as financial coaching, art in healing and addressing food insecurities across its communities, ensuring each program best meets the needs of the specific community it serves.
Innovation
Finally, the new approach heavily prioritizes innovation to address challenges and opportunities regarding social determinants of health, senior care and market-specific programs. Through data and analytics, ProMedica’s Healthcare Redefined Initiative finds new, unique ways to keep individuals, families and communities healthy and well. Methods range from preparing the next generation of health care workers, to evaluating and implementing new clinical programs, to helping individuals find purpose for improving their quality of life. For example, ProMedica is partnering with Bitwise to open an innovation center focusing on accelerating partnerships, facilitating technology innovation and driving equitable workforce development for underserved and underrepresented populations in the technology industry. Moreover, ProMedica’s partnership with Kumanu resulted in a well-being solution for employers that addresses critical risk factors often not sufficiently accounted for in most corporate well-being programs, such as SDOH.
ABOUT PROMEDICA
ProMedica is a mission-based, not-for-profit health and well-being organization headquartered in Toledo, Ohio. It serves communities in 28 states. The organization offers acute and ambulatory care, an insurance company with a dental plan, and post-acute and academic business lines. The organization has more than 49,000 employees, 12 hospitals, 2,500+ physicians and advanced practice providers with privileges, 1,000+ health care providers employed by ProMedica Physicians and several health plans, as well as 335+ assisted living facilities, skilled nursing centers, memory care communities, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and hospice and home health care agencies. Driven by its mission to improve your health and well-being, ProMedica has been nationally recognized for its advocacy programs and efforts to address social determinants of health. For more information about ProMedica, please visit www.promedica.org/aboutus.
