WELLSTAR_CHNA_REPORT_2016

TRACKING
WELLSTAR’S
PROGRESS
Since the inaugural 2013 CHNA, WellStar has made a seismic shift from a volume-based
care delivery system to an integrated, value-based care delivery system 23 . With a focus on
prevention and wellness, we’re transforming care delivery and recalibrating System-wide
community benefit strategy to more effectively and efficiently align with the health priorities
of our residents, Public Health (public and private-sector partners) and key stakeholders.
Progress made on WellStar’s two-phased community benefit implementation strategy 24
has created a more sustainable framework for actionable community benefit services, yet
was too broad in scope. More work is needed in the structure, delivery and evaluation of
these activities and to replicate the community benefit model across multiple hospitals in an
expanding Georgia footprint.
A more detailed
progress report
based on
community
benefit
categories is
on page 60.
In other areas, WellStar’s taken a non-linear approach to addressing health needs by initiating
evidence-based care models, such as developing an integrated behavioral health network to
address growing mental health issues and the expansion of prevention-based education and
clinical care services. This includes clinical training for smoking cessation and a Comprehensive
Care Clinic focused on chronic disease management and treatment of high-risk patients.
Partnerships with community safety net clinics are being redefined and expanded laying the
groundwork for more collaborative and affordable community benefit services and education.
This includes leveraging the compassion, expertise and health knowledge of team members and
care providers via the new WellStar 4-1 Care Network 25 . The network is a conduit for reducing
Emergency Department utilization through hospital-based care coordination, navigation to
the right care at the right place and WellStar Medical Group (WMG) physicians and advanced
practice professionals volunteerism in community safety net clinics to help build needed care
capacity to serve more medically underserved and uninsured residents.
We established two more hospital outpatient community clinics in areas of high need to provide
access to OB/GYN and internal medicine. Care will be delivered by attending physicians and
residents participating in the new Graduate Medical Education program.
Through the WellStar Center for Health Transformation, we innovated ways to improve care
delivery in alliance with multi-sector partners, leading research institutes and technology to
energize and enable cutting-edge solutions that improve care and reduce healthcare costs 26 .
We brought quality community-based outpatient care and services to more neighborhoods
via our convenient and cost-efficient Health Park model – a lauded concept for improving care
access modeled nationwide – with two operational parks and one currently under construction
in Vinings.
We instituted WellStar Clinical Partners, a physician-led, clinically integrated organization, to
help optimize the wellbeing of the community. Its collaborative health management focus is
foundational to maximize value for patients and improve the delivery of and access to worldclass
care. To date, the organization is comprised of 1,167 affiliated physicians, including nearly
600 WMG physicians in more than 220 practice locations.
We established disease-specific clinics for leading causes of death (e.g. heart disease and
COPD) to provide more comprehensive care management and behavior/lifestyle modification
tools and education to improve community health.
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