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Navy Medicine East (NME) emphasizes the importance of health innovation, and recognizes July as Health Innovation Month, by making care more convenient for patients — from brick and mortar settings to telehealth initiatives that support, and advance, the health and welfare of the Navy and Marine Corps family.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), innovation occurs when ideas are put to use in a manner that improves the way something works, whether that’s a service, process or product. NME is promoting health innovation by leveraging technology platforms like telehealth and initiatives such as value-based care across its military treatment facilities (MTFs) spanning the eastern hemisphere.
"It's all about providing our Navy and Marine Corps family the best care available in our nation, in a way that is most convenient to them," said Capt. Cynthia Gantt, chief of staff, NME. "We are excited to add expanded telehealth services to our list of convenient care options to our patients, such as extended clinic hours and weekend support. Regardless of where and how care is delivered, our goal is to provide seamless, positive patient experiences."
When difficult medical cases arise across the Navy fleet and operational areas, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's Health Experts Online Portal (HELP) connects health care providers around the world to clinicians at its medical center for specialty and subspecialty consultations. Not only does this prevent unnecessary patient transfers, it improves access to care and patient outcomes.
In addition to the fleet support through HELP, NME offers comprehensive telehealth services to supplement onsite clinical staff at shore-based remote facilities. For example, Naval Hospital Jacksonville extends telepsychiatry services to patients being seen at Naval Branch Health Clinic Key West.
NME took these existing resources and services to the next level by bringing a dedicated psychiatrist onboard at its headquarters, who provides 100 percent telebehavioral health for patients in remote areas or where supplemental care is needed.
Other telehealth initiatives range from critical care and radiology to newborn and dermatology support, extending to patients as far away as those treated at Naval Branch Health Clinic Bahrain.
Naval Hospital Jacksonville is currently in the middle of a value-based care pilot that organizes care around patients with similar needs and medical conditions. It developed multidisciplinary teams — called Integrated Practice Units (IPUs) — for diabetes, low back pain, osteoarthritis, and complicated pregnancy. The goal is doing what’s right for patients in ways convenient and acceptable to them, with improved patient outcomes, increased readiness, higher patient satisfaction, and improved value with optimal resource utilization.
Early results of the value-based care pilot, which began in October 2016, are promising. In the first six months, 251 patients enrolled in the IPUs, with about 1,130 appointments. In addition to improving patients’ quality of life, the IPUs are also seeing other improvements. The diabetes IPU improved patients’ A1c scores, reflecting better long-term control of blood sugar. The low back pain IPU is seeing patients earlier in Physical Therapy Clinic and completing patients’ treatment more quickly. The osteoarthritis IPU has improved the imaging studies that patients receive.
In addition to the use of technology platforms and transformational approaches to health care, many of NME’s MTFs offer extended hours and weekend support, including Saturday walk-ins for school physicals and seasonal immunizations, and home sleep studies.
Through the NME-led Tidewater Military Health System, which brings together McDonald Army Health Center, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and U.S. Air Force Hospital Langley, patients can receive care based on their unique care needs, regardless of service affiliation.
The tri-service collaboration improves access to care, removes unnecessary redundancies, reduces variation in care and ultimately improves patient experiences while maintaining fiscal efficiencies.
Health innovations like these underscore NME’s goal of providing quality care that’s convenient for its patients.
NME oversees the delivery of medical, dental and other health care services to approximately one million patients. Plus, its public health activities extend globally. For more information, visit www.med.navy.mil/sites/nme.
| Date Taken: | 07.14.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2017 10:38 |
| Story ID: | 241149 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 236 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Navy Medicine East Fosters Convenient Care Through Health Innovation, by CPO Stephane Belcher, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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