Adirondack Health Institute (AHI) and
its Performing Provider System (PPS) partners
have received $891,000 in grant funding
from the state Department of Health
for the Delivery System Reform Incentive
Payment (DSRIP) Program’s Project Design
Grant.
Funding will be used to increase the level
of health care service integration necessary
to better manage population health and
embrace payment reform in nine Upstate
New York counties. AHI is one of 42 grant
awardees in the state.
The project will be implemented by partners
in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton,
Hamilton, Saratoga, St. Lawrence, Warren
and Washington counties.
“The North Country Health Systems
Redesign Commission issued a report in April of this year describing our region’s
health care system as ‘highly fragmented
and centered on inpatient beds.’ To address
this issue, AHI convened a Project Advisory
Committee (PAC) which agreed early on
that creating an integrated delivery system
would be the core focus of our project
proposal,” said Cathy Homkey, CEO of AHI.
“We’re extremely pleased to receive this
grant and excited to work with our numerous
collaborators to develop a comprehensive
and successful health care integration
plan. The award reflects the confidence that
the state has in the ability of our region’s
hospitals, primary care, and other providers
to work collaboratively.”
Homkey said AHI continues to encourage
interested organizations to join the effort.
“The PAC is growing by bringing aboard partners to represent the workforce component
of this initiative, which will be coordinated
by the Hudson Mohawk Area Health
Education Center, a partner of AHI,” said
Homkey. “As we move forward, we hope to
bring other key stakeholders aboard.”
Colleen Florio, director of care management
initiatives and evaluation at AHI said
in order for the system to succeed, “it needs
to provide access to high-quality primary
care, behavioral health services, and substance
abuse treatment, and we need to better coordinate and manage care across
these settings. We also need to focus on
when and where care is delivered to address
the over-reliance on inpatient beds noted by
the commission.”
“As such, our project, among other areas
of focus, will concentrate on integrating
care and providing more community-based
options and supports. We look forward to
building healthy communities and helping
our partners succeed under payment
reform,” said Florio.