Gold Standard Letter of Validation Granted to Population Health Organization for Outcomes in Iowa Medicaid Program
Organizing to seek the Triple Aim of “better health, better healthcare and lower cost” has been daunting for many. Fulfilling its promise has been rare. Actually delivering the Triple Aim in the real world with validity certified is a unique occurrence. However, that is exactly what the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium (ICCC) achieved in a multi-year population health project focusing on diabetes in a statewide Medicaid program.
The validated results using a matched control group respond directly to the promise of the Triple Aim:
- 6% reduction in diabetes event rate; 14% against controls
- total cost of care reduced 18% in first year; 32% in second; 20% combined
- 54% reduction in hospitalizations over two year period
- 93% of responding participants (including dis-enrolled) felt they benefited from the program and that it had improved their quality of life
- quarterly depression screenings on all participants showed a reduction in the severity of depression over time
Al Lewis, author of Why Nobody Believes the Numbers and leading population health authority, who recently granted the Gold Standard Letter of Validation stated, “this natural experiment is as close to pristine as one could hope for in population health…the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium’s intervention strategies were responsible for a reduction in the diabetes event rate of 6 percentage points, or roughly 14% against matched controls…this is among the greatest reductions ever achieved in disease management (not just in Medicaid but overall) when measured validly.”
The Iowa Chronic Care Consortium (ICCC) in collaboration with the Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME) designed the “Keep It in Check”: Iowa Medicaid Diabetes Tel-Assurance® Program. The Program confirmed that a population based telehomecare program can significantly reduce the need for costly acute care services by involving patients in their self-care, improving care management and promoting healthy behaviors. “Keep It in Check” allowed a high risk, vulnerable, rural population to better manage their health through home-based communications and care management.
The Program touched the lives of 650 Iowans with diabetes served by the Iowa Medicaid Program. “Keep It in Check” received support from the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth and was designed and lead by the Iowa Chronic Care Consortium, an Iowa non-profit voluntary collaboration with a mission of building capacity in other organizations to reduce the burden of chronic disease. Conducted February 2010 through October 2012 and reported out in 2013, key partners included Iowa Medicaid Enterprise, the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa Primary Care Association, Magellan Behavioral Health, and Technology vendor, Pharos Innovations.
David Neil, President of the ICCC Board of Directors stated, “The ICCC has consistently demonstrated its skill in partnering with other organizations in population health, building their capacity to create and deploy sustainable programs that reduce the burden of chronic conditions. More significantly, they have inspired improved patient behaviors and self-care through coaching and behavioral change strategies. In short, they have successfully tapped the greatest underutilized resource in healthcare—the individual. Recognition with the Gold Standard Letter has been earned over a decade of work. It is especially fitting for that reason.”
The Gold Standard Letter of Validation is awarded to only a small handful of population health organizations that show validated savings. It is provided by the Disease Management Purchasing Consortium International, Inc. (DPMC) which assumes $10,000 in liability that the savings methodology is sound. For additional information regarding the Gold Standard Letter of Validation and DPMC visit their website, http://www.dismgmt.com/gold-standard/listing
For full copy of the “Keep It in Check” program and the evaluation results click here.