With the goal of promoting the triple aim
of improved population health, better patient
experiences and quality of care, and reduced
health care costs, AHI in Glens Falls (Adirondack
Health Institute) recently convened a group
of more than 50 diverse stakeholders for the
kick-off of the Population Health Improvement
Program (PHIP).
PHIP is a state Department of Health program
that supports the state’s Prevention Agenda. The
kick-off was the first step in creating a six-county
North Country Population Health Collaborative
(NCPHIC).
“We are very excited about this initiative and
the large turnout of invested partners who came
together today,” said Cathy Homkey, AHI CEO.
“This initiative will have far-ranging impact,
not only on promoting population health, but
also in its support and advancement of other
related population health and health system
improvement initiatives.”
In addition to introducing the program, the
event involved looking at various factors that
have an impact on population health. Anne-Marie
FitzGerald, AHI community health services
evaluation manager, introduced an example of
how a single socio-economic trend – the difficulty
of finding affordable housing – could have serious
implications on a person’s health.
“If you can’t afford your home, it could lead
to poor nutrition as dollars to spend on healthy
foods are scant. That could lead to stress and
mental health issues as managing bills becomes
overwhelming. It could also lead to higher
utilization of emergency room visits as preventive
medicine,” said FitzGerald. “So, one factor can
have a devastating trickle-down effect on a
person’s well-being.”
Lottie Jameson, AHI vice president of regional
planning and development, said the meeting
provided an opportunity to get various partners
talking about how the sharing of data from other
sectors could help everyone’s programs and
services be more effective.
“Think about the meaningful change we could collectively generate if we work together to make
informed community-based and data-driven
decisions and policies,” said Jameson. “With all
the data out there, the question is how best to
organize it in one place and bring it to life through
sharing and stories. One comprehensive, regional
assessment that would, in effect, combine all
the current assessments conducted by various
organizations would be a huge accomplishment
and something this group will explore.”
Suzanne Lavigne, director of Franklin County
Community Services, said there is value in
sharing ideas and data with various partners from
other sectors. That can help everyone’s programs
and services be more effective.
“Our counties have a tremendous opportunity
to chart a new course in how we support
population health and wellness. Agency
collaboration will be critical in order to establish
priorities and achieve successful outcomes that
will impact individuals, families and generations
to come,” she said.
Megan Murphy, AHI director, community
health services said the next steps include
convening quarterly meetings to determine
stakeholders’ needs and how PHIP’s resources
can best support their work.
“Another exciting development will be the
creation of a HealthyADK regional website that
will have user-friendly access to community
health data, links to evidence-based practice
strategies and information on initiatives in our
region,” she said.
The North Country PHIP, one of 11 PHIPs
in the state, covers Clinton, Essex, Franklin,
Hamilton, Warren, and Washington counties.
A joint venture of Adirondack Health, Glens
Falls Hospital, Hudson Headwaters Health
Network and the University of Vermont Health
Network – Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital,
AHI’s mission is to promote, sponsor, and
coordinate initiatives and programs that improve
health care quality, access, and service delivery
in the Adirondack region. For more information,
please visit www.ahihealth.org.