272634 Community Health Workers: Key to Achieving the Triple Aim

Monday, October 29, 2012 : 12:30 PM - 12:50 PM

Kimberlydawn Wisdom, MD, MS , Executive Offices, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI
Eduardo Sanchez, MD, MPH, FAAFP , Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, BlueCross and BlueShield of Texas, Richardson, TX
Two nationally prominent and visionary healthcare executives/physicians discuss the unique and critical role Community Health Workers (CHW) play in transforming health care, and in contributing to the achievement of the triple aim of improving quality of care, improving the health of populations and reducing costs. The evidence base is mounting to demonstrate the effectiveness of CHWs, and policy support is needed at the local, state, and national level to integrate and sustain this public health workforce into emerging models for ACOs (Accountable Care Organizations) and PCMH (Patient-Centered Medical Homes). CHWs have a vital contribution to make in engaging both publicly and privately insured patients in care. Leadership from health systems, health plans and health departments is needed to create policies that value and support the unconventional and impactful contributions CHWs make as key members of the healthcare team.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Chronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Other professions or practice related to public health
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related public policy

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to: 1) Discuss the evidence-based business case for community health workers. 2) Identify at least one role CHWs play in achieving the triple aims of improving quality care, improving population health, and reducing costs of care. 3) Explain the need for better policies to support the inclusion of CHWs in health care and public health. 4) Identify at least one effective CHW model and the policies that support it.

Keywords: Community-Based Health Care, Health Care Quality

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Over the past several decades and currently I have been the principal investigator or co-investigator on projects funded by NIH, CDC, and philanthropic organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson, WK Kellogg and Kresge Foundations gaining a better understanding of the unconventional and impactful contributions that Community Health Workers make in improving the health of vulnerable communities.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3224.0: Community Health Workers: Key to Achieving the Triple Aim (Special Session)