Initiative Includes Collaboration with Leading OB-GYN Practices, Aims to Serve as National Blueprint for Value-Based Approaches in Support of Improved Maternal Health Outcomes
NEWARK, N.J. and SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Wildflower Health, a leading women's health solutions company, and Healthcare Transformation Consortium (HTC), a collaborative of independent health systems in New Jersey, today announced a groundbreaking partnership to launch a statewide value-based maternity care initiative that will transform the delivery and financing of maternity care. Initially, the value-based model will be delivered via a phased rollout to team members and dependents within HTC member health systems. Ultimately, Wildflower and HTC see opportunities to expand this approach to include other payers and self-insured employers.
The new model is powered by Wildflower's unique maternity bundle, a package of comprehensive digital tools to help doctors, nurses and other caregivers assist patients with care needs ranging from prenatal to postnatal. They include a digital platform that helps them expertly engage, support, and remotely monitor patients between visits while expanding access to existing resources and virtual services. This platform includes educational content and tools for patients, and critical data for providers that can be accessed at point of care. Additionally, clinicians will be able to leverage Health Advocates and Coaches from Wildflower to extend the impact of their internal teams. These advocates and coaches will serve as eyes and ears for practices, helping connect patients to available resources while also escalating care for at-risk women who need additional clinical support.
As part of this initiative, Wildflower and HTC will also be working closely with OB-GYN practices across the state, including practices affiliated with Unified Women's Healthcare and Axia Women's Health. These organizations are two of the largest OB-GYN networks nationally and have a significant presence in New Jersey.
"Our member hospitals and health systems have always been committed to delivering the highest quality care possible to all women. This new partnership will allow the HTC to bring all stakeholders together to work for the benefit of expectant mothers, new moms and their babies," said Kevin Lenahan, Executive Vice President, Chief Business & Strategy Officer for Atlantic Health System. "Additionally, our physicians, nurses and team members are the most important asset to any healthcare system. Working with Wildflower allows us the opportunity to improve both member and physician experience, while helping reduce the cost of care and improve the quality of care for our employee health plan."
This collaboration is one of the first regional networks of OB-GYN practices and hospitals aligning to transform care and transition toward value-based maternity care. Along with improving clinical outcomes, this partnership will leverage care transformation capabilities from Wildflower that fully operationalize value-based care, a model of payment where healthcare professionals are compensated based upon patient outcomes instead of the number of services rendered. With this bundle, providers can evaluate and design value-based models alongside payers; install both digital health and point-of-care decision support tools; adapt current workflows to value-based requirements and continuously process data, both for leveraging key clinical metrics in real-time, as well as managing financial payments, reconciliations and outcomes measurement.
The maternity bundle is comprehensive, spanning from prenatal to postnatal care and accounts for the total cost of pregnancy for both mom and baby. It ensures providers are compensated based on the best clinical care and cost containment methodologies.
Wildflower offers technology and services aimed at transforming care delivery and payment models in women's health. HTC is comprised of the following high-performance providers: Atlantic Health System, CentraState Healthcare System, Holy Name Medical Center, Hunterdon Health, Saint Peter's Healthcare System, Valley Health System and Virtua Health.
"It's such a privilege to be part of such a significant initiative," said Leah Sparks, founder and CEO of Wildflower Health. "Multiple healthcare organizations coming together, forming a unified front to transform the trajectory of care for women; it's just not something that happens every day. The results we produce through this collaboration will be just as unique. I hope one day it serves as a blueprint for how to turn the tide for maternal health outcomes."
Improving maternal health outcomes is currently a statewide priority in New Jersey as evidenced by First Lady Tammy Murphy's bold initiative, Nurture NJ, which aims to reduce the state's maternal mortality by 50 percent over the next five years while eliminating racial disparities in birth outcomes. Currently, New Jersey ranks 47th nationwide for its maternal mortality rate, with 46.5 fatalities per 100,000 live births. Black women in New Jersey are seven times more likely to die in childbirth than white women.
"The potential for value-based care models in maternity is significant," said Dr. Jack Feltz, President of Lifeline Medical Associates, Chief Medical Executive Officer for Unified Women's Healthcare and President of the US Women's Health Alliance. "We clearly see the power of aligning stakeholders around quality outcomes and are excited to demonstrate the impact of value-based maternity care across the state of New Jersey. This is the beginning of a new way forward for maternal health in this country."
"As the demands on OB-GYNs continue to mount, it's critical that we work together to find innovative ways to offer more support," said Gaurov Dayal, MD, Chief Executive Officer at Axia Women's Health. "The model being introduced in New Jersey fully equips clinicians to work more efficiently while providing personalized support for every patient, even between office visits. It makes it possible for providers to do their best work and be rewarded for high-quality outcomes."
The Wildflower and HTC partnership officially launched January 1, 2023 with the value-based model being rolled out in phases within HTC member health systems.
About Wildflower
Wildflower is a technology and services company that is transforming care delivery and payment models in women's health to radically improve outcomes. We offer a modular suite of software, support and services, meeting providers and payers where they are in their journey to value. We are also the architect of the industry's most comprehensive bundle for value-based maternity care, with pre-built functionality for all actuarial, clinical and operational needs. Wildflower can help you successfully address the key drivers of women's health outcomes while building a better future for you and the families you serve. We are ushering in a new era for women's health. This is a smarter way to care. http://www.wildflowerhealth.com
About HTC
The Healthcare Transformation Consortium (HTC) is collaborative of leading, independent health systems based in New Jersey, each with self-funded employee health plans, that share their expertise to address issues many businesses now face: how to improve access to high-quality health care for covered employees and dependents while reducing costs. Members of the consortium include Atlantic Health System, CentraState Healthcare System, Holy Name Medical Center, Hunterdon Health, Saint Peter's Healthcare System, Valley Health System and Virtua Health. HTC is committed to teamwork and is creating an innovative new model for health care delivery for New Jersey and beyond.
About Unified Women's Healthcare
Lifeline Medical Associates is an affiliated medical practice of Unified Women's Healthcare, a leading women's health company that strategically operates, affiliates, and invests in businesses that drive better outcomes and experiences for patients throughout every milestone and moment of their healthcare journey. Founded in 2009, Unified supports more than 2,500 providers across 19 markets in North America and remains an indispensable source of business knowledge and innovation to transform women's healthcare. Its three businesses remain top in their field, including the largest OB-GYN physician practice management platform in the United States, the global pioneer in fertility treatment and science (CCRM Fertility), and the leading women's maternity analytics platform that directly improves birth outcomes (Lucina). For more information, visit unifiedwomenshealthcare.com.
About Axia Women's Health
Axia Women's Health is leading the way in improving women's health. At the core of achieving this is a caring, connected, and progressive community of nearly 500 providers across more than 200 women's health centers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. The rapidly growing network spans OB/GYN physicians, breast health centers, high-risk pregnancy centers, two laboratories, urogynecology, and fertility centers. Together, Axia Women's Health puts women first by delivering the personalized care needed for women to lead healthier, happier lives. Learn more at http://www.Axiawh.com.
Media Contact
Jessica Szalay, Wildflower Health, 408-780-8983, [email protected]
SOURCE Wildflower Health
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