For immediate release: November 16, 2016 (16-132)
Contact: Julie Graham, Strategic Communications Office 360-810-1628
New resources for physical and behavioral health providers in Washington State
OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health, in partnership with the Healthier Washington initiative, launched a new resource to help our health system meet the triple aim of better health, better care and lower costs for people in our state.
Called the Practice Transformation Support Hub (Hub), it provides coaching and tools to help small-to-medium-sized practices meet the challenges and opportunities of healthcare reform. This includes integrating physical and behavioral (mental health and substance use disorders) health, promoting clinical-community connections, and transitioning from volume-based to value-based payment models.
Through a contract with Qualis Health, the Hub provides services for primary care and behavioral health practices (20 or fewer providers) statewide including:
- Regional Health Connectors to assess practice needs and connect them to necessary tools and resources.
- Practice transformation coaching, facilitation and training services.
“These services will meet providers where they are in the transformation process, and help them navigate healthcare reform changes,” said State Health Officer Dr. Kathy Lofy, of the Washington State Department of Health. “This is the kind of individualized assistance needed by providers, especially those in rural areas.”
The Hub will also provide a web-based resource portal with training and tools through a partnership with the University of Washington’s Department of Family Medicine Primary Care Innovations Lab. This web tool will launch in early 2017, serving as a clearinghouse for curated trainings and resources to support practice transformation.
“Health care providers everywhere are grappling with the challenge of delivering quality care in an environment that’s rapidly changing,” said Tony Butruille, MD, a family physician at Cascade Medical Center in Leavenworth. “As a doctor in a rural community, I’m excited at the potential the Hub will offer us to stay informed and receive coaching and training relevant to our clinics and clients.” Healthier Washington is a multi-agency, cross-sector initiative that works to support positive change at all levels of the healthcare system. It is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. More information about Healthier Washington and the Practice Transformation Support Hub is online.
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The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity Number CMS-1G1-14-001 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The contents provided are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.
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