Here at Social Solutions, we often talk about the concept of interoperability: that is, connecting disparate information systems and organizations together so that they can better serve their communities. To date, the most impressive government-wide interoperability framework is established in Denmark. The importance of interoperability is revolutionary! Think of an agency that is forced to enter data in 10 or 15 different systems without ever being able to compare data or outcomes across departments. At Social Solutions we are working to ensure that ETO software can help agencies reach a level of interoperability – not only from a technical perspective, but also to truly work together in a community collaboration. On this note, some amazing things are happening with our client base in St. Louis. In the coming months, I want to use this concept and build it up by sharing related stories from the field, but today, let me tell you about one of our clients, Integrated Health Network, and what they are doing.
I have had the pleasure of working in St. Louis for the past two years and must say that I never cease to be impressed with the quality of service delivery and collaborative work among non profit and business leaders alike in the region. As funders move toward awarding grants with greater accountability, agencies are finally being asked to report on actual impact they are having in the population they serve versus simply reporting on number of people they are serving. As a result, we are seeing some rather revolutionary approaches to funding and service delivery in St. Louis. Instead of merely complying with these new changes, many funders and service providers are eager to get ahead of the curve so that every point of service delivery works toward program outcomes. As a former case manager, I didn’t know much about performance management, outcomes and what it takes to attract funding. Now that I am becoming better educated, I think this approach will drastically improve the effectiveness of the services that case managers and other direct service professionals are able to provide .
I first met Wil Franklin from the Integrated Health Network (IHN) when I was meeting with clients. We have ETO software user group meetings all over the country, and St. Louis has always been home to a vibrant ETO software user community. Wil’s agency is tracking service delivery and based on findings, drastically improving and changing the way they work. As a result of their strategies for improving service delivery, IHN has received a very prestigious award, and I wanted to share that recognition with all of you, especially because their success is really about accomplishing interoperability and it is especially important in today’s discussion of health care issues.
Last month, the St. Louis IHN has joined George Washington University and the 16 other research institutions across the nation to become a partner in the federal project, Accelerating Change and Transformation in Organizations and Networks II (ACTION II). ACTION II promotes and develops evidence-based practices to improve care through research partnerships with leading medical providers committed to quality improvements and systemic changes in care delivery. An initiative of the US Department of Health and Human Services, ACTION II is operated out of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which is responsible for generating knowledge and tools to improve the quality of health care for all Americans.
IHN is a non-profit organization using collaboration and partnership to ensure quality, accessible and affordable health care to all residents of the greater St. Louis region. Today, the IHN has 17 community health center members that provide comprehensive primary health care to all St. Louis area residents regardless of their insurance status. In partnership with other centers, IHN provides reduced-cost services to patients who are underinsured or do not have insurance plans that qualify. Since its inception, the IHN has gained recognition for its health literacy initiatives, integrated electronic medical records system and health system navigation programs for patients.
Today, IHN is building on their relationships in the community and is partnering with medical providers and non profit agencies alike to improve the lives of people they serve. IHN is an example of an agency that serves as a leader in the community and is changing the name of the game. It is our pleasure to partner with agencies like IHN and help them grow, develop and improve the way they offer services.
Congratulations, IHN!!
-Jasna Burza, Regional Sales Director
Tags: ETO software, Integrated Health Network, Social Solutions
