Millions of Medi-Cal enrollees stand to benefit from Encounter Data Research Findings
Date: 09/04/20
Encounter data is information provided by health care providers, such as doctors and hospitals. The data shows both the clinical conditions diagnosed and the services provided to treat those conditions.
Although useful, this method of collection does present some challenges. Some of which include:
- Inadequate infrastructure
- Outdated technology
- Lack of consistency in how patients are tracked and assessed
Health Net is committed to finding solutions to this problem. To help find solutions, the company invested in a multi-phased and multi-year funding program. As part of the program, an online summit took place on August 7 to announce the results of a 12-month study.
Experts lend their voices to the summit
The summit featured several guest speakers, including:
Mary Watanabe, Acting Director of the California DMHC, the state entity that oversees health plans in the state. Involved in the project since its inception, she discussed the importance of complete and accurate encounter data. This data is key to California's health care delivery system. She discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and its relation to encounter data. The virus is disproportionately impacting people of color, specific regions and essential workers. Encounter data can define the long term impact of the virus. You can learn more about Watanabe and the DMHC here.
Donald Rucker, MD, National Coordinator at the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology within the Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Rucker has achieved results by putting the healthcare consumer at the center of the equation. Earlier this year the ONC issued proposed rules designed to give patients control of their medical data. These rules will allow smartphone apps, which are already under development, to give patients access to health care data from a single point of entry. You can learn more about Dr. Rucker here.
Will Lightbourne, newly appointed Director of the Department of Healthcare Services. Lightbourne was appointed by Governor Newsom on June 16. Read more on his appointment here. Committing his whole professional life to public service, Lightbourne brings a unique perspective to the project. He discussed the important role that the government plays in addressing societal inequities. Finding solutions to encounter data is key to erasing those inequities and his involvement in the project will help make that happen.
Thoughts from our CEO
During his closing remarks, Brian Ternan, President and CEO of Health Net and California Health & Wellness, stated:
"We know the importance this data can play in detecting and reducing gaps in care, and we are deeply committed to finding solutions to improve this process," said Ternan. "We are proud of the progress we made so far, and with input from those present here today, I'm confident we can build on the great foundation set here today."
The $1 million project was funded by Health Net and led by Manatt Health. The project served as a think tank for these leaders. Discussions led to real solutions to improve the current process.
Health Net is excited to begin moving into the next phase of the program.
"The recommendations discussed here today are a great first step towards building a process that provides better, more efficient care for Californians across the state," said Ternan. "It's also a great example of how we're delivering on our mission to improve the health of our community, one-person-at-a-time."
Hear more of Brian Ternan's remarks.
What is coming up next for the project?
A wealth of information and ideas were exchanged at the Encounter Data Summit. None of this would be possible without the input of everyone involved. This fall, Health Net will release a Request for Proposal (RFP) to follow up the summit. The company is looking for a governance entity to take the recommendations that have been developed and oversee the project. This entity will work with state regulators to ensure that these recommendations are addressed.
A final report of this entire effort is currently under development and will summarize everything that has occurred in the past year as part of this project. Health Net will continue to report on these updates as the Encounter Data Improvement project progresses.