The Year Behind, the Year Ahead

You don’t have to have the big happenings spelled out to know 2015 was an eventful year toward the end of healthcare integration. You don’t have to, but you can; just turn the page for this issue’s In the News column, where our colleague Matt Zavadsky recaps the top 10 integrated care headlines for 2015.

There’s some important stuff in there, and other important stuff that didn’t make the cut. IH Executive has also chronicled many of those key developments over the last year:

In January/February we looked at the integration of primary and behavioral care, as well as a North Carolina collaboration between community health programs and EMS to better assist complex patients.

In March/April we covered the savings from home telehealth, a Hawaii program to curb pediatric asthma readmissions, and how home health, hospice and EMS are working together in Texas to fulfill the Triple Aim.

In May/June we initiated a series of profiles of top healthcare executives with lessons to share about working together, improving outcomes, saving money and producing happier patients. Encompass’ April Anthony outlined the increased role home health will play in future care. 

In July/August the spotlight went to Kaiser Permanente and the transition-care bundle developed by leaders in its Portland branch.

In September/October we featured Evolution Health CEO Eric Beck, MD, and his team, who are focusing on collaborative interprofessional teams to improve patients’ health. That issue also profiled our Integrated Delivery Networks to Watch.

With this issue we bring you the first IHE Top Suppliers Guide, an essential program of the key players and products available to help you coordinate and streamline your services.

Plans for 2016 are as big as the issues animating them. We’ll look at technology; staffing and billing; innovation; remote monitoring; and identify new Networks to Watch. A new and expanded website is coming, as well as an enhanced presence on social media.

Stay tuned for all those developments; nothing about healthcare is standing still. And in the meantime, in case you missed them, check out these key articles from IHE’s 2015 archive by going to www.ihexecutive.com and searching for the relevant identifier.

• Wake County’s Collaborative Approach: 12017838;

• Home Telehealth Trial Produces Big Savings: 12041004;

• Hawaii Collaboration Curbs Pediatric Asthma Readmits: 12041442;

• Home Health, Hospice and EMS Tackle the Triple Aim: 12043288;

• The Future Belongs to Home Health: 12059786;

• Kaiser’s Plan to Prevent Readmissions: 12076292;

• Interprofessional Teams Drive Evolution of Healthcare: 12099083;

• Integrated Delivery Networks to Watch: 12099983. 

Happy new year, and have a safe, pleasant and integrated 2016.