June 6, 2007

Collaborative Receives ‘Community Leader’ Status from
United States Department of Health & Human Services

The Health Improvement Collaborative of Greater Cincinnati has been selected by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) as a “Community Leader for Value-Driven Health Care.”

“The Collaborative now joins a select group of regional health care coalitions across the country that are formally recognized by the HHS for their pursuit of forward-thinking health improvement strategies,” says Collaborative executive director Greg Ebel.

To be designated a Community Leader for Value-Driven Health Care, an organization must be a multi-participant organization working to achieve the four cornerstones of value-driven health care:

· Interoperable health information technology (health IT)

· Transparency of price information

· Transparency of quality information

· The use of incentives to promote high-quality and cost-efficient health care

To a significant degree, the Collaborative has already undertaken this effort through the recent launch of Aligning Forces for Quality: The Regional Market Project (AF4Q) – a groundbreaking effort to improve chronic disease care. Funded by a $600,000 award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and an additional $200,000 from Schering-Plough Corporation, the three-year effort is designed to help communities advance the quality of chronic care provided in physician offices, clinics and other outpatient settings in three major ways: (1) help health care providers improve their own abilities to deliver quality care; (2) help providers measure and publicly report their performance; and (3) help patients and consumers understand their roles in demanding high-quality care.

The AF4Q initiative enables the Collaborative to form and further enhance relationships with employers, health insurers, providers and consumers whereby all stakeholders work together to improve health care. Through the recognition of Community Leaders for Value-Driven Health Care, HHS recognizes existing efforts and encourages the further development of these collaboratives.

“This recognition by HHS lends credibility to our cause and will hopefully help us to form new relationships, which will in turn further impact health care improvements within the Tristate,” says Jim Schwab, Cincinnati market president for US Bank and chair of the Collaborative’s Board of Trustees.

Additional information regarding the Community Leaders designation is available at the HHS Web site (click here to view). For more information about current Collaborative initiatives, call (513) 531-0267.

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