Patient care is shifting from the traditional model of “sick care,” which
addressed people’s health issues after the onset of disease, to “well care,”
prevention and population-based health activities that seek to avoid or limit
the incidence and progression of disease and contain healthcare costs.
IN THIS
TOGETHER
We’re improving the population
health status of patients and
communities through clinical,
education, and training programs
aylor Scott & White Health
is a leader in developing and
implementing population
health programs throughout Central
Texas, giving underserved individuals,
those with chronic disease, and others
a chance to learn and engage more in
their health.
Traditionally, we thought about
healthcare as treating the person in
front of us,” says family physician
Cliff Fullerton, MD, MSc, president of
Baylor Scott & White Quality Alliance,
an Accountable Care Organization
formed to achieve new quality and
savings goals required by the healthcare
reform act. Within this framework,
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Dr. Fullerton leads the organization’s
efforts to offer comprehensive and
reliable performance measurements
across inpatient and outpatient
healthcare settings to achieve these
goals. Educating patient populations
about their health and behaviors, and
avoiding costly inpatient hospital care
whenever possible is an important
component of the emphasis on
population health and wellness. “As
the focus has shifted to keeping people
healthier, we’re thinking now about
the health of populations. What drives
illness, disease, and cost of care among
this group? Why are certain patient
groups in our emergency room so
often? Where and with whom can we
make the biggest health improvements?
While we are focused on our individual
patients, we’re also thinking about the
other 5,000 just like them. Population
health management is not a new
concept, but a new opportunity,”
Dr. Fullerton says.
To help individuals and communities reach their health goals and
remove barriers to care, Baylor Scott
& White Health is creating programs
and collaborating with community
partners, such as churches and
municipalities and with nationwide
groups, such as nonprofits and health
insurance plans. Using technology, the
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