Leveraging state health system transformation to improve population health in Oregon

Since the Oregon legislature passed sweeping health reform legislation in 2009, the state has worked quickly to transform its health system into one that delivers better health and quality of care at a lower cost. Population health improvement has been a focus of Oregon’s transformation efforts since its inception. In 2012, Oregon was one of six states awarded a State Innovation Model Testing (SIM) grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. The SIM grant allowed for strategic investments in public health infrastructure, including a new grant program designed to bring public health and Medicaid coordinated care organizations (CCOs) together to jointly implement population health interventions. In December 2013, the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division awarded four consortia of local health departments (LHDs) and CCOs. LHD/CCO consortia selected a priority health issue based on their community health assessment in order to collaboratively implement evidence-based population health interventions in the community and health system settings. Benton County Health Department has developed a robust partnership with two neighboring LHDs and InterCommunity Health Network CCO to reduce tobacco use. The Center for Human Development, a rural county working in partnership with 11 other LHDs and Eastern Oregon CCO, will share their approach in developing a system for developmental screening and evidence-based nurse home visiting across half of the geographic area of the state. This session will provide concrete, replicable examples for how governmental public health can develop effective partnerships and work with Medicaid programs to improve population health through evidence-based interventions.