Getting Health Care Right: Recent Episodes

TriHealth and Cincinnati Business Courier

Introducing Getting Health Care Right, a podcast about the business of health care, brought to you by TriHealth in partnership with the Cincinnati Business Courier. In this podcast, we explore changes being made by some health systems to provide care differently and in a way that benefits patients, employers and entire communities — all while costing less than traditional health care delivery. It’s about getting health care right.

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Precision medicine involves a highly individualized approach to health care, whether it’s prevention, diagnosis or treatment. The fact that technology has evolved to such a point makes for an exciting time in medicine, according to Courtney Rice, director of precision medicine and genetic counselor with TriHealth, on the latest episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

“The first Human Genome Project took two years to do a sequencing of one individual, and the project was over $2 billion,” Rice says. “Fast-forward to present day. The cost of genetic testing is around a few hundred dollars and we can see results return back within a week.”

In this episode, Rice talks precision medicine with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen for more about:

The percentage of new medicines approved by the FDA in the past nine years that are considered precision medicine (3:03).
Times to check with your primary care provider to see if precision medicine or genetic testing is appropriate (6:58).
What happens during a genetic counseling visit (9:50).
Types of testing typically covered by insurance (11:24).
How precision medicine fits with TriHealth’s population health model (14:06).

Rice also discusses the topic of genetic information misuse and laws in place that protect patients. The federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) states a person’s genetic information is protected from health insurance companies and employers from misusing the information. (GINA law does not apply to supplemental insurance such as life, long-term care, or disability insurance and does not apply to employers with fewer than 15 employees, U.S. military or federal government employees. The U.S. military and federal government have separate policies in place that may protect these members.)

Personalized care is better care. Learn more about precision medicine and genetic services at TriHealth.

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Many college campuses across the country have partnered with a local health care organization to provide student health services, according to Jean Griffin, dean of students at Xavier University. But Xavier’s partnership with TriHealth is different, she says in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast. It’s more multifaceted —and Terri Hanlon-Bremer, EVP and COO of TriHealth, agrees.

“We started off looking at how we help the athletic students at Xavier with equipment and facility enhancements,” Hanlon-Bremer says. “That got brought into some nutritional alignment so we could use the student athletes as role models to other students on campus. … Then we added the onsite medical services TriHealth provides to both the student and employee population, and that nicely dovetails into behavioral health.”

Listen as Griffin and Hanlon-Bremer highlight the most important aspects of their organizational partnership in this episode, hosted by Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Hear more about:

· Academic innovations at Xavier that are influenced by TriHealth’s presence on campus.

· How the partnership seeks to address labor shortages in the health care space.

· Problem solving together throughout the pandemic.

· Why the Xavier-TriHealth partnership is advantageous to Cincinnati-area business leaders.

· Students’ growing focus on well-being and balance in their lives.

TriHealth and Xavier University are working together for wellness. Learn more.

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Improving behavioral health in the Cincinnati community is not a task to be undertaken lightly, according to Jill Miller, president and CEO of Bethesda Inc. and bi3, in the latest episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

“This is not an issue we can solve in a year or three years. This is going to take decades-long commitment and work,” says Miller.

Miller discusses barriers to and access of behavioral health care with Dr. Dallas Auvil, TriHealth’s chief of behavioral health services, and Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to learn more about:

Concerns around lack of funding and reimbursement for behavioral health services. (3:45
Whether Auvil sees improvement from pandemic-related mental health stressors. (5:50)
Strategies for helping children with behavioral and mental health issues. (6:55)
TriHealth’s programs to help patients find the services they need. (12:06)

Learn more about TriHealth’s behavioral health services.

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TriHealth patient Drew Abbott felt his blood pressure rising when he was closing a high-stress business deal. When he put on the blood pressure cuff at home that evening, he knew he had a serious issue: his blood pressure measured over 200.

“My PCP made some changes to my medication, but this did not seem to fix the problem,” Abbott says in the latest episode of Getting Health Care Right podcast. Abbott continued to experience blood pressure fluctuations and undesirable side effects from the medication, including syncope (fainting). “I could tell it was coming, but I couldn’t prevent it, and I just passed out,” Abbott says.

An eventual referral to Dr. Stephen Lewis, a TriHealth interventional cardiologist and specialist in difficult blood pressure issues, helped Abbott finally get his hypertension numbers under control.

“I became concerned about hypertension pretty early in my career, as I witnessed a lot of patients suffering from very difficult-to-control hypertension,” says Lewis. “This resulted in further interest in finding out more root causes.”

Listen to this special Heart Month episode of Getting Health Care right to hear more about:

Abbott’s biggest challenges when it came to treating his high blood pressure.
A dramatic incident in the Good Samaritan Hospital dining room.
Incidence of high blood pressure in U.S. adults — and its potential consequences.
TriHealth’s new hypertension clinic.
Dr. Lewis’ advice for people concerned about their heart health.

TriHealth’s Heart and Vascular Institute focuses on personalized care. Learn more.

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Pulmonary embolism kills more patients than HIV, breast cancer and motor vehicle accidents combined, according TriHealth’s Dr. Chris Hayner, a specialist in critical care and pulmonology, in the latest episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

“It’s a fairly prominent problem, and for probably 40 years, we really only had two forms of treatment — either to give patients blood thinners or to occasionally use clot busters,” Hayner says. “But within the last 10 years, there’s been a real development of alternative methods and treatment options.”

Hayner talks with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, and Dr. Douglas Adams, cardiothoracic surgeon with TriHealth, about major advancements in medical treatments and approaches for pulmonary emboli, lung cancer and other conditions.

Listen to the episode to hear more about:

· Results seen by patients who work with TriHealth’s pulmonary embolism response team.

· Using low-dose CT scans to detect early-stage lung cancer.

· What Hayner and Adams see as the benefits of folding AI technology into their health care practice.

· Managing health care AI to maximize patient benefit and minimize misuse.

· Lessons learned from the implementation of electronic medical records in health care practice.

· Integrating AI in TriHealth’s population health model.

A healthy life begins with truly human care. Learn more at TriHealth.com.

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The uptick in celebrations around the holiday season can also mean an uptick in stressors for many — and a resulting uptick in employee assistance program (EAP) use, according to Diane Pipes, LISW-S, manager of well-being services for TriHealth, on this episode of Getting Health Care Right.

Pipes says it’s a good idea to help employees pre-plan for high-stress incidents. “How can I plan for the holiday function where I don’t want to see a particular family member?” she asks. “How can I plan for those occasions where there’s lots of alcohol and food, and I don’t want to overconsume?”

Listen as Pipes discusses the history and value of EAPs with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, and learn more about:

· Advice for employees who may be hesitant about using an EAP.

· Resources beyond EAPs for employees whose workplace doesn’t offer them.

· ROI estimates for employers considering an EAP as part of benefit offerings.

· Reductions in stigma around mental health services today.

· The role of behavioral health in TriHealth’s population health initiative.

TriHealth Corporate Health has helped companies across the region lower costs and improve their workforce health. Learn more.

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Humans are hardwired to want to belong to groups. Many organizations have widened their inclusivity efforts to prioritize a sense of belonging for employees at every level.

At TriHealth, this work may be using a newer name (“belonging”), but it is tied to the health system’s value system and has been part of its leaders’ commitment to the community since the mid-1990s, according to Mark Clement, president and CEO of TriHealth, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right.

“(Belonging) is the product of fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization,” Clement says. “That product is where our team members, our providers and ultimately the patients we serve, feel a sense of belonging and feel welcome in our organization.”

Dr. Thomas Shockley, who joins Clement and Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith on the episode, adds to the conversation by sharing more about his role as TriHealth’s chief health equity officer and his goals with the soon-to-launch Health Equity Center.

“One of the things that I and the Health Equity Center will do will be pulling leaders together, pulling team members together, bringing people out of silos to live that mission for all the people we serve,” Shockley says.

Listen to the episode to hear more about:

Helping patients understand health equity.
Specific challenges that come with addressing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the health care space.
Differences in life expectancy data from one ZIP code to another.
Ways health equity fits into the population health model.

Learn more about TriHealth’s mission to serve the larger community by mirroring the rich diversity of Greater Cincinnati in its leadership, employed physician population and supplier relationships.

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On-site health care services can offer many benefits to Cincinnati-area employers, including convenience, cost savings and enhanced employee benefit offerings.

“It’s a win-win for an employee to be able to seek care in real time during work hours in a convenient location,” says Dr. Malia Harper, medical director for TriHealth, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

That sentiment is shared by Mark Brown, vice president of human resources at one of the oldest employers in the city of Cincinnati — Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum.

“Providing great (health care) options and benefits that are both cost-effective and convenient for your employees is a great way to broadcast for potential future hires,” Brown says.

Listen to Harper and Brown’s conversation with host Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to hear more about:

· Who staffs TriHealth’s on-site clinics and the kinds of services they provide.

· Spring Grove’s decision to open an on-site clinic for employees and the factors that went into that decision.

· Employees’ response to the clinic program.

· More ways the on-site clinic benefits employers — as well as employees — and how the model fits into a larger goal of population health.

Leverage a multidisciplinary team of experts and help your organization change for the better with TriHealth Corporate Health.

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Cooler temperatures mean the respiratory virus season is not far behind. But the incidence of COVID-19 may not be as dramatic as years past, according to Dr. Stephen Blatt, TriHealth medical director for infectious diseases, on the first episode in Getting Health Care Right’s second season.

“We’re evolving into an endemic period so that over 95% of the people in the country are at least partially immune to COVID now either through vaccination or having had the disease once or twice,” Blatt says.

Blatt warns host listeners that COVID is still a serious illness, however. Listen to his conversation with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to learn more about:

· The CDC’s predictions for 2023’s flu season.

· Who is most at risk for severe illness.

· Flu vaccine protections and effectiveness.

· Risks and advantages of the latest COVID vaccine.

· Dangers of RSV infection and how to prevent it.

TriHealth’s Infectious Disease group provides a full array of treatment and consultation to Greater Cincinnati. Learn more.

Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine has partnered with TriHealth for decades, but last year, the organizations came together as part of a “conversation that was a long time coming,” according to Andy Blankemeyer, CEO at Beacon, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

“We are now co-invested in surgery centers across Cincinnati. Our existing surgery centers as well as TriHealth’s existing Evendale Hospital are now all part of a joint venture, and we have combined our physician groups as well,” says Blankemeyer.

“The partnership brings together two unique organizations: (Beacon), the regional leader in orthopedic care, and TriHealth, the region’s largest integrated delivery system,” says Mark Clement, president and CEO of TriHealth. “We recognized the commonality of our visions half a decade ago and went to work on figuring out how we could come together to deliver a higher level of orthopedic care across the full continuum, not just in the ambulatory setting.”

Blankemeyer and Clement share more about the landmark deal with host Jamie Smith, market president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to the episode to hear more about:

Why an integrated approach to patient care is better than the “push-pull” of independent groups and hospital systems.
Ways outpatient orthopedic care can keep health costs down and save employers money.
Other partnerships that support TriHealth’s goal of optimizing population health.
Reactions among area health care payers to the Beacon-TriHealth partnership announcement.

Patients now have broader access to superior orthopedic care. Learn more.

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A heart failure diagnosis can be frightening for many patients. But TriHealth’s Advanced Heart Failure program is in the business of offering hope for that diagnosis, according to Dr. Sateesh Kesari, advanced heart failure transplant cardiologist with TriHealth, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

“The reality is, there’s a 50%, five-year mortality associated with that (diagnosis), similar to what we see with cancer,” says Kesari. “But there are a lot of great therapies that can help you live many, many years and feel a lot better.”

TriHealth patient Brian Smith can attest to that, as he shares in this episode. He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy several years ago and has come a long way in his treatment journey.

Listen to the episode to hear about:

Programs that have been successful in helping TriHealth patients recover their heart function.
Risk factors that can lead to cardiomyopathy.
How a multidisciplinary TriHealth team helps heart patients develop a care plan.
The hard choice Smith had to make to prolong his life — and what his prognosis looks like now.
Lifestyle modifications and medications that benefit heart failure patients alongside medical therapies.
How people can tell whether they’re at risk for potential cardiac issues.

TriHealth’s Advanced Heart Failure program, located in the Harold and Eugenia Thomas Comprehensive Care Center on the campus of Bethesda North Hospital, is a recognized a leader in quality and outcomes. Learn more.

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When Ohio House Bill 371 passed last year, insurance companies had to start paying for additional screenings beyond the traditional mammogram for patients with a higher risk of breast cancer.

TriHealth patient Jenny Dermody called the additional imaging coverage “a huge blessing” in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast. She took advantage and got a 3D mammogram after her regular one last fall — and the team found lobular carcinoma.

Dermody shares her story in this episode alongside Dr. Kathleen Raque, a surgical oncologist with TriHealth. Listen to their conversation with Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to hear more about:
•Why patients with dense breast tissue may need additional imaging in their annual cancer screenings.
•Dermody’s treatment plan and takeaways from her cancer journey.
•The percentage of cancers Raque diagnoses that are “more aggressive.”
•TriHealth’s mobile mammography unit.

Schedule the TriHealth Mobile Mammography Van at your business or event.

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In the U.S., chronic pain is the most common symptom leading patients to their physicians, according to Dr. Sara Nashi, a TriHealth physician who specializes in pain management, in this podcast episode of Getting Health Care Right.

“Actually, 25% of the population will have back pain in a given year, and up to 80% of the population will have low back pain during their lifetime,” Nashi says.

In the episode, Nashi’s patient, Brenda White, shares her challenges with back pain in recent years and how she was able to overcome those challenges with Nashi’s help — and with a new therapy called a basivertebral nerve ablation.

Listen to their discussion with Jamie Smith, publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, to learn about:

Various treatments White tested to address her pain.
When a patient is a candidate for basivertebral nerve ablation — and how it differs from other pain treatment procedures.
White’s life now that she is living without pain and without opioid medication.
Advice for people who are suffering from back issues.

Learn more about pain management at TriHealth.

There’s a connection between issues like race and ethnicity and how well chronic conditions are managed, according to Terri Hanlon-Bremer, COO of TriHealth, in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

“When you look at typical chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and COPD, where people of color are not having the same outcomes as Caucasian (patients), we can actually pinpoint where we have those variances in our own organization,” Hanlon-Bremer says. “What that allows us to do is work directly with that provider and team member so we can understand (whether) there is an education issue going on. Is there an access issue going on? Is there something else we need to adjust?”

Hanlon-Bremer talks candidly with Tashawna Otabil, chief diversity officer with TriHealth, about the hospital system’s goal of ensuring a sense of belonging among team members, patients and physicians. Their conversation is hosted by Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to hear about:

· How TriHealth works to do its part as a community leader in equity and inclusivity.

· Why health care organizations should be concerned about diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

· Recruitment for diverse candidates, especially among leadership roles.

· The intention behind TriHealth’s BOLD program and the success of its inaugural graduates.

· Ways TriHealth promotes healthier behaviors in the community, including partnering with Local 12 News and area churches to offer education and screenings.

· How TriHealth leaders are “checking their bias” to ask whether things should be done differently in their policies and procedures.

Learn more about diversity and inclusion at TriHealth.

As the fitness supervisor at TriHealth's Fitness and Health Pavilion, Amy Hilderbran knows not everyone looks forward to exercise — but she says she hasn't met someone yet who claims they don't feel better after working out.

“You might be a little bit sore. But emotionally and mentally, you feel better. The endorphins are firing, you’re able to move more fluidly. And that’s why we keep doing it. That’s why people keep coming back,” she says in this episode of the Getting Health Care Right podcast.

Hilderbran and host Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, dive deep into the topics of health, fitness and population health. Listen to the episode to learn more about:

Hilderbran’s varied fitness career journey and formidable credentials.
Two ways the Pavilion works with patients and community members to achieve their health and fitness goals.
Why homeostasis is the body’s “happy place.”
Improved blood pressure, improved circulation and the many vital benefits of regular exercise.
How to start exercising when it feels too daunting — and how to develop a fitness regimen that will motivate you to stick to it.
Why Hilderbran recommends focusing on how you feel and ignoring comparisons.

Learn more about the TriHealth Fitness and Health Pavilion.

A diabetes diagnosis puts a patient at a critical juncture in their lives. It simply cannot be ignored. In the short term, uncontrolled diabetes can negatively impact mood, energy level and sleep quality, according to Dawn LaRochelle, certified diabetes care and education specialist and registered dietitian at TriHealth, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. Longer term, the effects can be even worse, she says: uncontrolled diabetes can increase risk of heart disease, kidney disease, vision problems and overall quality of life.

“I had all of that,” says Rolanda Furr, a Cincinnati resident and TriHealth patient, in response to LaRochelle’s list of negative health effects from uncontrolled diabetes. “I did not sleep well. I would wake up exhausted. I literally would not be able to walk from my bedroom, to the living room, to the kitchen.”

In this podcast episode, LaRochelle and Furr talk about diabetes management and prevention with Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier. Listen to the episode to learn more about:

· Furr’s diabetes diagnosis and journey to improve her overall well-being.

· Ways LaRochelle works with patients like Furr to develop individualized diabetes management plans.

· The age at which patients should seek out screenings for diabetes.

· Furr’s advice to someone who has been newly diagnosed with pre-diabetes.

· Goals of diabetes education in a population health model.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

In December, TriHealth announced an affiliation with the top-ranked Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute with the goal of building on its regionally leading heart and vascular program and delivering the highest quality of care possible to patients.

“TriHealth will continue to see its own patients, but we’ll be collaborating on optimizing patient care,” says Dr. Suma Thomas, vice chairman of strategic operations with the Cleveland Clinic Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute in this episode of Getting Health Care Right.

In this podcast, Thomas outlines the advantages of the affiliate program along with Dr. Kathryn O’Keefe, a cardiac surgeon at TriHealth, and Mark Witte, vice president of clinical service lines at TriHealth. Cincinnati Business Courier President and Publisher Jamie Smith hosts the conversation.

Listen to learn more about:

· Concrete ways the affiliation will benefit TriHeath patients and physicians.

· Why TriHealth chose to make the investment into the cardiovascular program now.

· Elements of the relationship with the Cleveland Clinic that tie into TriHealth’s population health strategy.

· Opportunities for Cincinnati patients to access high-level, complex procedures or second opinions from Cleveland Clinic providers.

· Long-term implications of the affiliation.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Major insurers are increasingly tying health care reimbursement to patient outcomes, provider performance and overall patient satisfaction — an approach to financing that is foundational to population health.

“The beauty of population health is, you get paid for achieving health outcomes, so (patients) get good value for the care received, and everybody benefits,” says TriHealth’s COO Terri Hanlon-Bremer in this episode of Getting Health Care Right.

In this podcast, Hanlon-Bremer and Dr. Helen Koselka, TriHealth’s chief medical officer, break down population health financing for Cincinnati Business Courier President and Publisher Jamie Smith. Listen to learn more about:

· How TriHealth’s managed care contracts are organized and developed.

· Physicians’ perception of this method of compensation and care delivery.

· How many of TriHealth’s patients are in a value-based contract arrangement.

· Innovative payer relationships that help providers “get off the fee-for-service hamster wheel.”

· Areas of the population health model that can give some physicians pause — and what Koselka and Hanlon-Bremer say is the key to strengthening leadership understanding.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Living independently can be challenging for individuals who have suffered a neurological injury, disease or disorder. Cincinnati-based InReturn has set a mission to enrich the lives of these individuals through job and learning opportunities. One particularly successful program stems from InReturn’s partnership with TriHealth Corporate Health and focuses on wellness education — the kind which goes beyond a recommendation to eat your vegetables.

“Now there’s a focus on the whole person, including emotional and mental well-being,” says Kelsey Schaible, executive director of InReturn, on this episode of Getting Health Care Right. “These classes teach how and why. Why are these things important? And how to incorporate them into their lives.”

On this podcast, Schaible shares more about InReturn’s programming and the value of its collaboration with TriHealth on wellness efforts with Jamie Smith, president and publisher of Cincinnati Business Courier, and Brad Clark, account executive for TriHealth Corporate Health. Listen to learn more about:

Why wellness education is an important part of InReturn’s life skill training.
How TriHealth Corporate Health supports InReturn and many other area employers.
The most rewarding aspect of the collaboration on wellness efforts.
What Schaible has seen in regard to outcomes from the program.
InReturn’s beginnings and why Cincinnati sometimes feels like a small town.
Ways listeners can get involved with InReturn’s mission.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Business leaders know all too well the challenge of finding time to take care of themselves and stay healthy. When your day is scheduled down to the last minute and you’re juggling work meetings, travel and family responsibilities, it’s hard to focus on your personal well-being. That’s where executive health programs can be an advantage.

“The way our program is structured is all in one day,” says Dr. Malia Harper, an internist and medical director at TriHealth, on the health care system’s executive health screening program. “It’s all on site and provided within a couple of hours.”

It was this screening program that revealed quite a surprise to Brian Lawlor, president of local media at Scripps, a couple of years ago. In this episode of Getting Health Care Right, Cincinnati Business Courier President and Publisher Jamie Smith speaks with Lawlor and Harper about those unexpected results — and why executive health matters.

Listen to the episode to learn:

· What Harper saw on Lawlor’s chest X-ray that gave her pause.

· The trajectory of Lawlor’s follow-up steps and treatments — and how he is impacted today from his diagnosis.

· The advantages of screening and annual physicals when it comes to executive health.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

Don Maccarone had four negative baseline scans for lung cancer — and then came the fifth scan, which showed a suspicious mass.

“Lung cancer has a horrible reputation, justifiably so,” says Dr. Douglas Adams, a cardiothoracic surgeon with TriHealth and one of Maccarone’s physicians, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. “But in this circumstance, it’s been detected at a point where there are a number of successful therapeutic options.”

Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith speaks with both Maccarone and Adams about the importance of early detection and diagnosis. Listen to learn more about:

· Advanced technologies that can shorten the timeline from cancer detection through treatment.

· The historical paradigm of lung cancer detection and treatment — and how Maccarone’s experience could have been very different years ago.

· Cancer screening data and insurance considerations.

· How the population health approach to medicine helps Adams do his job as a surgeon better.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

When it comes to population health initiatives, nurses and other non-physician frontline caregivers are helping lead the way. It’s these team members who often excel at engaging patients and implementing new treatment models or tools to drive better outcomes and experiences.

As care moves from episodic to proactive, new opportunities and roles arise for these team members to help improve patient throughput and access across an integrated health care system, according to Jennifer Skinner, MSN, BSN, RN, senior vice president and chief nurse executive for TriHealth, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right.

One such role is the care manager. “Typically, this role is filled by a registered nurse. They help patients navigate along the continuum of their care. That’s particularly helpful when a patient is seeing a number of providers, crossing different care settings, and if they have any socioeconomic or other barriers preventing them from their care journey or achieving health or wellness,” says Skinner.

Listen to the episode, hosted by Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith, to hear about:

· Staffing challenges in health systems today — and how TriHealth is able to retain its most valuable team members.

· How motivations for entering a nursing career have changed over the years.

· Skinner’s experience with implementing the TriHealth Way, a journey she calls “one of the highlights of my career.”

· The evolving role of nurses in the future of population health.

Health systems across the country, including Cincinnati’s TriHealth, have begun collaborating with payer partners in an effort to reform ineffective payment models. Such partnerships aim to advance population health strategies and incentivize providers for more comprehensive and preventive care.

TriHealth’s partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Ohio is designed to “put in place more progressive, innovative payment systems that reward health, that reward prevention, that reward providing care and delivering care in the right place at the right time to produce the right clinical outcomes at the right cost,” Mark Clement, TriHealth CEO said in this episode of Getting Health Care Right.

Clement and Jane Peterson, president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Ohio, share insights about how this partnership is working towards its common goal of fixing a broken health care system. Listen to the podcast to learn more about:

· Why Anthem chose to support this approach to health care.

· Impacts seen from the partnership in terms of health outcomes.

· Ways area employers benefit from cooperative care.

· Future predictions on health care collaboration models.

· Care delivery in hospitals vs. ambulatory campuses around Cincinnati.

· Cincinnati as a leader in the health care space.

One of the central goals of the population health approach is closing gaps in care — but in many cases, this can be easier said than done. Fortunately, intelligent tools and automation technologies are becoming more prevalent in the health care space to help health systems identify and close care gaps more efficiently and effectively.

“Technology augments a lot of the hard work of our physicians and care teams,” says John Khoury, vice president of population health for TriHealth, in this podcast episode. “In many respects, that symbiosis has demonstrated very strong results.”

In this episode of Getting Health Care Right, hosted by Jamie Smith, president and publisher of the Cincinnati Business Courier, Khoury speaks with Donna Peters, CIO of TriHealth, about how technology advances population health initiatives and ensures care delivery to the right patient at the right time. Listen to learn more about:

· Specific technologies and tools that can automatically close care gaps — and how they work.

· Results TriHealth has noted from the use of these tools.

· Why advanced technologies won’t replace human skills.

· Patient response to recent tech tools.

· Whether physicians are getting on board with the new workflows.

· TriHealth’s initiatives with AI products and data science.

· Other promising uses for health care technology.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

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Accolades have been plentiful for the city of Mason, Ohio, in recent months. Not only was Mason ranked fourth on Fortune’s list of the 2022 Best Places to Live in the U.S., but the city was also ranked as one of the top 10 healthiest employers in Ohio.

Jennifer Heft, assistant city manager for the City of Mason, credits the latter ranking in part to the city’s partnership with TriHealth. “That partnership dates back to 2010, when we did an expansion at our Mason Community Center,” she says in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. “That expansion included 31,000 square feet of medical office and rehab space. Since then, TriHealth has grown at that facility to 41,000 square feet. That community center is one of the city’s signature amenities for our health, fitness and wellness programming.”

In this episode, hosted by Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith, Heft chats with TriHealth’s Senior Vice President Steve Mombach about the advantages of population health partnerships in the context of the public sector. Listen to learn more about:

How the city leverages its partnership with TriHealth to offer wellness programming for employees.
Participation rates and employee feedback on health and well-being programs.
How wellness programs boost early detection and prevention of illnesses.
Other employee-based well-being services and their advantages to employers.
Why improving workforce health advances TriHealth’s broader population health strategy.
Advice for other cities or municipalities looking to emphasize employee wellness and proactive care.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

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Doctors and nurse practitioners both receive significant specialized training for their careers in the medical field — and both are focused on providing high-quality patient care. But some patients are less familiar with the role of nurse practitioners, and misconceptions about their abilities do exist.

“The older population isn’t as used to nurse practitioners and definitely have some guarded questioning,” says Renee Canfield, an internal medicine nurse practitioner with TriHealth in West Chester, in this episode of Getting Health Care Right. “But once they get to see me and experience the care I can give them, they usually are fine.”

In this episode, hosted by Cincinnati Business Courier Publisher Jamie Smith, Canfield discusses the differences between her role as nurse practitioner and that of her colleague, Dr. Chadd Todd, a physician in internal medicine with TriHealth. Listen to learn more about:

Types of patients Canfield sees at TriHealth in West Chester.
How the population health approach changes the way doctors and nurse practitioners care for patients.
Canfield’s career path to becoming a nurse practitioner.
A normal day as a certified nurse practitioner (CNP).
Todd’s view on the advantages of having a nurse practitioner on staff.
Patient reactions to seeing a nurse practitioner.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

One quality many Cincinnati patients look for in a health care system is an emphasis on personalized resources and localized support. In recent years, TriHealth’s leaders have recognized this increased demand for “tighter connection and more continuity across the board, both at the patient level, as well as behind the scenes with the care team,” according to Terri Hanlon-Bremer, TriHealth’s COO, in this podcast.

That’s why TriHealth has introduced the concept of “health neighborhoods,” which prioritize personalized care and meeting the patient where they’re physically located, said Hanlon-Bremer.

Listen as Hanlon-Bremer discusses health neighborhoods with Dr. Diane Dolensky, a board-certified internal medicine physician with TriHealth Physician Partners and learn more about:

· Ways a health neighborhood approach is beneficial at the patient level.

· How health neighborhoods can benefit doctors and other health care staff.

· Impacts on the quality of care.

· The shortage of health care providers and how the neighborhood concept may help with that issue.

Learn more at TriHealth.com.

In this episode of Getting Health Care Right, two health care leaders discuss TriHealth’s population health strategy and integrated behavioral health model — and why these initiatives should matter to area employers.

Employers both large and small in the Cincinnati market can benefit from more cost-effective health care plans and improved overall health. TriHealth CEO Mark Clement digs into the fundamentals of population health and the advantages for employers in this episode.

In this episode of Getting Health Care Right, hosted by Jamie Smith, publisher of Cincinnati Business Courier, TriHealth CEO Mark Clement discusses the fundamental failings of the current health care payment system and how it hurts businesses — as well as what evolving care models may look like.