Collaborative Networks Serve Uninsured Patients
To improve access to more comprehensive health care services in North Carolina and South Carolina, The Duke Endowment is part of a public/private partnership working to integrate health providers serving the uninsured into community-based, collaborative networks.
Insights
On its website, Care Share Health Alliance includes seven guiding principles for collaborative networks. They may serve as a starting point for other efforts.
- Patient-centered: Collaborative networks are patient-centered rather than provider- or program-centered. When people can access a network of community resources to improve their health, we count that as success. We start by focusing on patient health. And we look at each patient's individual needs. We treat patients with dignity and respect, provide them with full access to information about their health, encourage them to participate in their healthcare, and to work collaboratively with their providers.
- Fuller continuum of integrated care: Collaborative networks provide access to all possible components of health care to ensure complete health for the patient. Collaborative networks work to provide what's needed, whether it's a medical home, specialty services, diagnostics, care management, hospital-based services, medications, dental services, behavioral health, preventive health services or health and wellness promotion.
- Collaborative: All partners in the collaborative network share a common vision, goals, and outcomes. Together, rather than singularly, the collaborative network owns success. We recognize the value of differences and even conflict. We do not ignore our differences. We use them to build better collaboration.
- Utilize best practices and evidence-based care: Collaborative networks utilize best practices and evidence-based care throughout their work.
- Efficient: Collaborative networks garner resources to provide high quality care at the lowest cost. We build on existing strengths and fill in gaps. We reduce duplicating services.
- Accountable: Collaborative networks' strength lies in open communication. Stakeholders take responsibility for their performance in shared work. Results trump credit and agendas. We give higher priority to achieving health gains than for getting credit for a component of that success or insuring that organizational interests are advanced.
- Sustainable: Collaborative networks work toward fiscal sustainability by creating diverse funding streams and engaging stakeholders throughout their community. We are committed to designing and implementing sustainable healthcare solutions for low-income uninsured North Carolinians. And we are committed to finding the funds to do so.
Impact
In 2008, The Duke Endowment played a pivotal role in developing statewide resources that will help communities in the Carolinas form collaborative networks to improve access to care for people who are low-income and uninsured.
Two new organizations grew from that work: Care Share Health Alliance in North Carolina and AccessHealth SC in South Carolina.
Both Care Share Health Alliance and AccessHealth are in their infancy, but they'll help leverage existing resources and offer technical assistance to local collaboratives as they begin working together.
Contact Us
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Vice President
704.969.2131
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Melanie Matney, executive director of AccessHealth SC, shares her experience in helping communities serve the uninsured.
