What is the Population Health Cohort?

Collaborative Quality Improvement Opportunity to Improve Population Health

Population health is defined as the health outcomes of a group of individuals, including the distribution of such outcomes within the group. It is the effort to improve the overall health of a population in a consistent and personalized manner at minimal cost. Population health is more than access to quality healthcare—it is delivering healthcare in a manner that helps people live healthier and happier lives no matter their demographic, genetic, environmental, medical, social, behavioral, or economic circumstances. Chronic diseases place a heavy economic burden on Louisiana, suggesting a need to form a systematic process using actionable strategies to improve the well-being of our residents.

This is where population health management comes in. The Population Health Cohort is an exclusive collaborative quality improvement opportunity which supports the implementation of strategies aimed at improving population health within a primary care setting, with a specific focus on chronic disease related outcomes. It gives Louisiana providers and their facilities the opportunity to have hands-on assistance in implementing evidence-based practices that can improve their quality of care and their patients’ health outcomes. 

The strategies of the population health cohort include specific focus on chronic disease management, such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol and screening for undiagnosed hypertension and screening, testing and referring for prediabetes. The Cohort provides participating clinics with Practice Coaches and Population Health Registered Nurses to help improve quality improvement cycles, connect with the necessary resources, integrate practices and utilize their electronic health records to monitor health outcomes of their patient populations.

New applications are not being accepted at this time. Any updates will be shared here.


Population Health Cohort Objectives

  • Increase control among adults with known high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
  • Increase the number of patients identified with previously undiagnosed hypertension.
  • Decrease the number of adults with diabetes with a hemoglobin A1C>9.
  • Increase the number of adults with prediabetes enrolled in a lifestyle change program who have achieved a 5% -7% weight loss.
  • Increase the number of adults with hypertension, high blood cholesterol and/or diabetes, who are referred to a healthy behavior support service or lifestyle change program.

Application Information

Applications are closed for 2020! Applications will not be accepted subsequent to the application period.

  • Why Apply?

    Providers play a crucial role in making changes to impact population health. Participating in the Population Health Cohort makes those changes accessible and achievable. It connects you to tangible steps for making big changes and a positive impact.

    When you participate in the Cohort, you will:

    • Receive assistance in improving your population health management and quality metrics
    • Receive a financial incentive of up to $11,000.00
    • Receive one-on-one support of from a Practice Coach and Population Health Registered Nurse
    • Have access to opportunities to learn from colleagues
    • Join a community of healthcare leaders working to improve the standard of care across Louisiana
    • Positively impact the lives of patients at risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes

    Members of the Population Health Cohort commit to:

    • Completing an organizational assessment that explores current practices and identifies opportunities for growth
    • Measuring progress toward achieving project goals using quarterly performance measure reports
    • Identifying staff to participate in Cohort projects
    • Identifying EHR/data analysis needs and assistance
    • Signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) contract
    • Participating in virtual or face-to-face training’s and regular technical assistance calls
    • Providing regular feedback to Well-Ahead staff on successes and challenges
  • Application Considerations

    The following variables will be considered when reviewing applications:

    • The geographic location of the applicant
    • Demographics of the patient population
    • The patient population size
    • The health system capacity
    • Leadership support
    • Current population health management and quality improvement initiatives

What Happens Next?

Upon acceptance, Cohort members will be connected with their Practice Coach or Population Health Registered Nurse to begin work to develop an agreement between the health center and Well-Ahead, assess needs and develop their facility’s customized practice coaching plan.

The practice coaching plan will help clinics implement system-wide protocols for:

  • Screening and testing for prediabetes and referring them to programs for lifestyle change
  • Managing patients suffering from diabetes and referring them to a Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support program
  • Identifying patients with undiagnosed hypertension
  • Managing patients with hypertension and high blood cholesterol
  • Establishing or expanding the system for medication therapy management 
  • Connecting patients to community resources to help manage their chronic conditions 

Your Practice Coach or Population Health Registered Nurse will be available throughout your participation in the Cohort. Your coach or registered nurse will host an initial training, provide support in developing and implementing your practice coaching plan, and support in the monitoring of data. You will meet routinely to assess needs and track progress. 

Applicants that are not chosen for the cohort will be referred and connected with the necessary resources to prepare their organizations to be chosen for the next cohort.

Population Health Cohort Spotlights

These clinics, members of our first and second Population Health Cohorts, across rural and underserved areas in Louisiana have been working to implement new quality improvement strategies to improve the population health within their facilities. Population Health Cohort members also have exclusive access to an individualized health improvement portal to monitor and evaluate their clinic data.



Population Health Cohort Timeline

ActivityDates
Application Period ClosesOctober 23, 2020
Site Selection for CohortOctober 30, 2020
Face-to-Face/Virtual Meeting with Selected SitesNovember 2020
Complete Organizational AssessmentNovember 2020
Development of Quality Improvement Work PlanDecember 2020
Quality Improvement Strategy WorkDecember 2020-June 2021
Monthly Meeting and Touch BaseDecember 2020-June 2021
Data ReportingQuarterly; December 2020-June 2021
Dissemination of Tools, Resources and Networking OpportunityOngoing; December 2020-June 2021
Annual Survey and ReportingJune 2021

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