Issue 23, July 21, 2022
America faces daunting and complex healthcare challenges that include and go beyond the current pandemic. In myriad ways, innovative healthcare companies are developing solutions to improve access to care, battle disease, strengthen population health, and meet the needs of underserved communities. This newsletter will offer examples of Healthcare Leadership Council members answering the call. |
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| Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Expands Mental Health Services for Children, Underserved Areas
In a state that ranks 38th in the country in access to mental healthcare, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is taking steps to expand its network of behavioral health providers. Through a collaboration with Headway, a mental health services company, Blue Cross NC members will be able to access, in as soon as 48 hours, in-network therapists and psychiatrists who meet their specific needs.
The focus of the collaboration is on improving access to care for underserved communities, including rural and socially vulnerable counties, children and adolescents, and individuals across diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Currently, 61 of North Carolina's 100 counties have no psychiatrists treating children and adolescents.
Dr. Nora Dennis, lead medical director of behavioral health and health equity for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina said, "Too many North Carolinians have difficulty finding mental health services for their specific needs, especially given the overall shortage of mental health providers. Working with Headway gives us the ability to quickly add to the number of providers who accept Blue Cross NC insurance and allows more members to find convenient, appropriate care."
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Marshfield Clinic Health System Brings Hospital-At-Home Care to Rural Communities
Marshfield Clinic Health System has announced a new collaboration that will bring high-quality in-home medical care to patients living in rural segments of Marshfield's coverage area in Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Working with Dispatch Health, the hospital-at-home system enables patients to request care without a referral. Once requested, an emergency-care-trained medical team arrives at the patient's home equipped with tools and treatments, including on-site diagnostics and a CLIA-certified lab which provides immediate results for certain diagnostics, such as kidney function, electrolytes, urinalysis and more. The goal is to reduce non-emergency visits to hospital emergency departments while lowering costs and improving health outcomes.
Dr. Susan Turney, Marshfield Clinic Health System CEO said, "The face of healthcare is evolving faster than ever, and we are evolving along with it. This partnership and the value it brings to our patients aligns with our commitment to bring high-quality healthcare services close to, and in this case inside, the homes of our patients." |
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