Engaging and activating consumers is necessary to optimize patient outcomes, but figuring out how to do it is the billion-dollar question. Unfortunately, patients often receive the bulk of the blame for their lack of compliance, literacy, action, and responsibility in the healthcare system, despite the “system” never being designed with them in mind.
A few years ago, I remember telling a young healthcare professional I knew that they should not go to an acute care clinic for a cold during the day but rather to their patient-centered primary care home to ensure continuity of care and accurate, complete medical records. I was told that is how they always received their sick care. Obviously, this person had no idea how to engage properly in the healthcare system….right or wrong? Should the healthcare system change to support the patient’s needs or should the patient change to meet the needs of the system? Plenty of new, disruptive business models are focused more on the latter with healthcare consumerism driving how they are designing care.
The KHC’s Sixth Annual Conference, Humanizing Healthcare, will focus on how we redesign a healthcare system that treats patients and families with respect, optimizes outcomes, addresses social determinants of health, and activates patients in a healthcare system with providers who are energized and engaged in mission-driven work. We know that today’s consumer places a premium on simplicity, convenience, affordability, reputation, connectivity, and personalization. We will spend a full day learning what healthcare consumerism means to a variety of key healthcare stakeholders.
Our keynote speaker, Zeev Neuwirth, MD, is host of my favorite new podcast and 2019 “Healthcare Podcast of the Year” Winner by HITMC: “Creating a New Healthcare.” He is also the author of “Reframing Healthcare – A Roadmap for Creating Disruptive Change.” Neuwirth will have a book signing at the reception the evening before the conference and the first 75 individuals who register for the conference will receive his book for free! For his keynote address, Neuwirth will encourage and empower leaders in contributing to and thriving in a consumer-oriented, value-based, humanistic healthcare system. He will share the seven critical steps of his “Reframe Roadmap” – a reliable and replicable guide for creating sustainable, scale-able change.
Lynn Quincy, Director of Healthcare Value Hub for Altarum, will help us nail down what patients really want. Quincy will describe how to identify what patients truly want and need across the spectrum of ways they engage in the health system, and how to adapt our health system so that it is equitable and tailored to the diversity of patients. She will show how “humanizing” healthcare is consistent with other goals we have such as using resources wisely and delivering uniformly high health outcomes.
The topic for this year’s annual conference came from continued member interest in patient engagement and affordability. Barbra Rabson, President and CEO of Massachusetts Health Quality Partners, will discuss how to improve affordability by better engaging patients. She will share the results of a new Massachusetts statewide survey on the barriers to obtaining high value care (trust, health literacy, capacity, access, and transparency) and will give us insight into the next steps for driving better patient experience, engagement, and activation.
Locally, there is agreement that improving health and achieving health equity requires broader approaches that address social, economic, and environmental factors that influence health. Sarah Moyer, MD, Louisville’s Chief Health Strategist, will moderate a panel of purchasers, payers, providers, consumers, and community leaders to discuss how they are working to address the social determinants of health and improve health equity in the community. Panelists include:
- Diana Han, MD, Global Medical Director, GE Appliances, a Haier company
- Theresa Reno-Weber, MPP, President and CEO, Metro United Way
- Sadiqa Reynolds, Esq., President and CEO, Louisville Urban League
- Cynthia Cox, RHIT, CHP, CSCS, Director of Health Information Mgt, Family Health Centers
- Emily Beauregard, MPH, Executive Director, Kentucky Voices for Health
- Andrew Renda, MD, Associate Vice President, Population Health, Humana
Healthcare’s “sleeping giant,” the business community, is slowly waking and becoming key partners for transforming healthcare in local communities. We look forward to announcing another presentation that will feature local innovation in this area. Additionally, we will be featuring short showcases that highlight humanized healthcare innovation by Anthem and Artemis Health.
One of the most dynamic speakers of the day will be Louisville’s own, Ben Reno-Weber, Director, Microsoft Future of Work Initiative (FWI). Reno-Weber will talk about how the community is using big data to transform health and grow the economy. Tammy York-Day, President & CEO, Louisville Healthcare CEO Council, will discuss LHCC’s innovative work to continue Louisville’s status as the national leader in healthcare aging innovation.
The KHC’s annual conference is its biggest fundraiser of the year and brings in an impressive group of local and national thought leaders. We hope that you will join us on March 10-11 for what we hope will be a catalyst for driving a consumer-oriented, value-based, humanistic healthcare system in our community. Early bird pricing ends next week, so be sure to Register today!
