Rhonda Medows, MD, FAAFP, serves as President of Population Health at Providence St. Joseph Health and President of Ayin Health.
On May 24th, Dr. Medows will serve on the panel "What Population Healthcare Models are Working for Large Systems? Why Do They Work? What’s the Cost/Benefit Analysis in Population Health?" at Becker's Hospital Review 11th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker's is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place on May 24-26, 2021 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Dr. Medows' session, click here.
Question: What, from your perspective, is the biggest challenge about the future of work for hospitals, and what can they do about it? (i.e. automation, desire for more flexibility, clinician shortages, etc.)
Rhonda Medows:
- Medicine, healthcare, and technology have all evolved and enable more care to be safely provided outside of hospitals.
- PriorItizing and redefining which complex care and higher acuity services are best provided in hospitals will help health systems determine which select services lines need focus.
- Consumers and payers alike are seeking more affordable care in lower-cost settings. Hospitals will need to strengthen partnerships with ambulatory care and virtual health providers.
- Hospitals and health systems also need to improve the awareness of the public and policymakers on those hospital services that communities require for the greater public good. For example trauma care, emergency services, and preparedness, public health services. Sustaining these critical services for the public good requires ongoing public and private industry support.
Q: What, if anything, should hospitals be doing now given economists' projections of a forthcoming economic downturn?
RM: Hospitals and health systems should focus on:
A- Prioritizing their select hospital services lines of excellence and strengthening network partnerships with ambulatory care providers and facilities.
B- Significantly reducing administrative and operational costs
C- More effective management of financial systems - from the front end to the back-office revenue cycle.
D- Updating the patient billing process in light of increasing consumer responsibility and the use of high deductible health plans.
E- Integrate mental health services. Among other things, lagging mental health care contributes to avoidable ED visits, readmissions and long length of stay
F- Identify new business lines for revenue diversification
G - Build strong formal partnerships with community resources and social services.
H- FURTHER EXPANSION INTO THE AMBULATORY SPACE AS NETWORK PARTNERS. AS LOWER ACUITY CARE MOVES INCREASINGLY TO OUTPATIENT, HOME & VIRTUAL CARE SETTINGS, HOSPITALS NEED TO STRENGTHEN THEIR PARTNERSHIP TO BE A CONNECTED PART OF PROVIDER NETWORKS.
Q: How can hospitals reconcile the need to maintain inpatient volumes with the mission to keep people healthier and out of the hospital?
RM:
- Hospitals and health systems must transform and adapt to new realities.
- Medicine, healthcare, and technology have all evolved and enable more care to be safely provided outside of hospitals.
- As lower acuity care moves increasingly to outpatient, home, and virtual care settings, hospitals need to strengthen their partnerships With them to be a connected part of new and evolving provider networks.
Q: Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas?
RM: People: My team, colleagues across the health, technology and service industries, and consumers (including my multi-generational family)
Places: Listening to ideas and lessons learned shared by innovators and leaders in regional, national, and global forums. Observing innovation in other industries.
Things: Reading news, online journals, blogs, social media for ideas and new development across various industries and aspects of living.