Darryl Linnington is the Director of Financial Planning and Analysis at McAlester Regional Health Center.
On April 11th, Darryl will speak on a panel at Becker's Hospital Review 9th 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 April 11-14, 2018 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Darryl's session, click here.
Question: Who or what are the disruptors that have your attention? Why?
Darryl Linnington: We have recently learned that some major employers, in an effort to reduce health benefit costs for both them and their employees, are starting their own primary care clinics in the markets where they have a significant employee headcount. If local health systems do not engage these employers to alternatively provide a private value network, offering quality and cost-competitive healthcare services, they may see their volumes diminish. We have recognized that direct communications with employers — even branch plants of national companies — and helping them to evaluate their health plan design and costs is essential to maintaining and improving our market position.
Q: How do you define patient engagement?
DL: To succeed in the new era of population health, we need to meet patients ""where they are."" It is about far more than technology, although new applications can certainly enhance a health system's reach and impact. Community efforts to assess and address health needs, offer screenings and education, promote activity and wellness, host chronic illness clinics, advance telehealth services, and a variety of other activities, whether at schools, local events, on mobile units, etc., all foster patient engagement. The health system needs to pursue initiatives, both ""community-based"" low tech and ""cloud-based"" high tech, to be a vital resource for the health and wellness needs of the communities it serves.
Q: How do you see the barrier between competitors and collaborators changing?
DL: As healthcare providers, we are called to work together for the cause of population health in the market we collectively serve. To improve service and value requires enhancing quality and reducing costs, and better coordination of care through collaboration contributes positively to both of these dimensions. By collaborating around service lines with specialty groups or ""boutique providers"" recognized for their clinical expertise and excellent patient experience, we can have a stronger service line. Additionally, by participating together in value networks and shared regional referral and record management systems, we can improve the coordination of care, better managing overall resource utilization and demonstrating a cost-competitive advantage versus other networks or providers. Collaboration is a leading strategy today in many markets to answer the population health mandate.