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HMA Insights: Your source for healthcare news, ideas and analysis.

HMA Insights – including our new podcast – puts the vast depth of HMA’s expertise at your fingertips, helping you stay informed about the latest healthcare trends and topics. Below, you can easily search based on your topic of interest to find useful information from our podcast, blogs, webinars, case studies, reports and more.

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Webinar

Webinar Replay: Practical Approaches to Supervising Behavioral Health Staff Working Remotely or in Hybrid Settings

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This webinar was held on June 15, 2021. It was the fifth webinar in the series Exploring the Landscape of Behavioral Healthcare, covering the growing impact of behavioral healthcare on clinical outcomes and cost.

Behavioral health staff face new challenges, anxiety, and risk of burnout as they attempt to deliver the best care possible to clients in care settings impacted by the pandemic. That’s true whether staff members work remotely or in emerging hybrid environments in which care is provided both virtually and face-to-face. Supervisors play a critical role in helping staff work through stressful logistical, clinical, and even personal situations so that the focus remains on the client.

During this webinar, HMA behavioral health experts offered practical approaches to managing staff in both virtual and hybrid settings, helping to ensure staff members remain productive, appreciated, supported, and focused on improving client outcomes.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how the stresses of the pandemic, including social distancing, loss, and the challenges of staying connected to friends and family, have impacted the mental health of clients and providers.
  • Identify practical approaches to remote staff supervision, including huddles, group and individual supervision, and tactics for successful conference calls.
  • Learn how supervisors and staff can work together to manage work/life boundaries, especially given the need to oversee staff working in a combination of settings, including the home, and the complexities of vaccination disclosure.

Speakers

Deb Peartree, Senior Consultant, Albany, NY

Annalisa Baker, Senior Consultant, HMA, New York City

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Improving Behavioral Health Access and Outcomes through Primary Care Integration

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This webinar was held on June 10, 2021. This was the fourth webinar in the series Exploring the Landscape of Behavioral Healthcare, covering the growing impact of behavioral healthcare on clinical outcomes and cost.

The integration of behavioral health into primary care settings is an effective means for treating less complex conditions, improving outcomes, and reducing referrals to overburdened specialty behavioral health providers. During this webinar, HMA behavioral health experts discussed strategies for integrating primary and behavioral care, including integration models that can be used to blend and shape services according to a clinic’s specific needs. Speakers also introduced a stepped approach to integration aimed at helping providers identify the right care for the right person at the right time.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the features and components of effective approaches to integrated care, including the roles of team members, workflows, and care protocols.
  • Learn how to distinguish among various integrated care models, including the collaborative care model (CoCM) and primary care behavioral health model (PCBH).
  • Identify key outcomes measures that demonstrate the effectiveness and value of integrated care to payers and patients.
  • Understand the benefits of a stepped approach to integrating primary and behavioral health, ensuring patients receive the care they need.

HMA Speakers

Lori Raney, MD, Principal, Denver, CO

Barry Jacobs, PhD, Principal, Philadelphia, PA

Webinar

Webinar Replay – Stimulant Use Disorder: Harm Reduction Strategies and Evidence-based Interventions

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This webinar was held on June 3, 2021. 

People who use stimulants may experience a range of negative health outcomes, including cardiovascular events, increased risk of acquiring or spreading HIV and Hepatitis C, dental problems, violent behavior, psychotic symptoms, and overdose. Fortunately, an impressive array of evidence-based treatments and harm reduction strategies are available to help individuals address stimulant use and addiction.

During this webinar, HMA behavioral health experts outlined proven interventions, including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavior therapy, contingency management, and community reinforcement therapy. Speakers also discussed recent HIV outbreak clusters and harm reduction efforts.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the risks associated with stimulant use, including the likelihood of overdose, heightened susceptibility to certain physical and behavioral health conditions, and risk of diseases transmitted sexually or through needles.
  • Review the impressive results achieved with evidence-based treatment strategies, including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavior therapy, contingency management, and community reinforcement therapy.
  • Understand the importance of harm reduction interventions, including safe sex, pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, overdose prevention education, and access to clean syringes, fentanyl test strips, and naloxone.

HMA Speakers

Charles Robbins, MBA, Principal, Los Angeles, CA

Shannon Robinson, MD, Principal, Costa Mesa, CA

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Post-COVID Strategies for Building Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Systems

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This webinar was held on May 19, 2021.

COVID-19 has exposed deep fissures in our national and local healthcare systems, which comes as no surprise to mental health providers already accustomed to treating behavioral health needs rooted in systemic racial and economic disparities. Addressing these needs requires targeted outreach and robust community engagement efforts aligned with the principles of trauma-informed care. During this webinar, behavioral health experts focused on organizations, networks, partnerships, and protocols that ensure access to supportive, integrated behavioral healthcare for underserved individuals.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the behavioral health needs of underserved, marginalized, and isolated populations.
  • Learn how to activate leaders and organizations to help build trauma-informed communities.
  • Find out how engagement with faith and community-based partners can promote trauma-informed care, community healing, recovery, and innovation.
  • Understand the intersection of behavioral and public health, including a look at how to maximize community behavioral health resources.
  • Learn how accountable care and value-based payment models create opportunities to address trauma and behavioral health disparities.

Speakers

Heidi Arthur, LMSW, Principal, Health Management Associates, New York
Lawrence Fowler, Deputy Director, Emma L. Bowen Community Services Center
Catherine Guerrero, MPA, Principal, Health Management Associates, Denver
Mark Sasvary, Ph.D., LCSW, Chief Clinical Officer, Coordinated Behavioral Health Services

Webinar

Webinar Replay: A Deep Dive into Improving CAHPS Member Experience Measures at Health Plans

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This webinar was held on May 19, 2021.

Member experience measures from the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey play a growing role in the quality rankings of Medicaid and Medicare health plans, with the difference between high and low plan scores often amounting to a few percentage points. During this webinar, HMA quality expert David Wedemeyer delved into how Medicaid and Medicare plans can improve their CAHPS scores and thereby benefit from incentive payments tied to high quality performance.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the growing role CAHPS measures have in health plan quality rankings and incentive payment models.
  • Learn how to develop a comprehensive member experience improvement structure, including a process for identifying and engaging members most likely to be dissatisfied.
  • Find out how the use of data analytics can drive a deeper understanding of trends in member experience and help identify real opportunities to improve.
  • Discover techniques for obtaining point-of-service feedback that can help address potential member experience issues before they arise

Speaker

David Wedemeyer, BSN, Principal, Los Angeles, CA

Webinar

Webinar Replay: When Behavioral Health Leaders Are Also Behavioral Health Family Caregivers

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This webinar was held on May 13, 2021.

This was the second webinar in the series “Exploring the Landscape of Behavioral Healthcare,” covering the growing impact of behavioral healthcare on clinical outcomes and cost.

Behavioral health professionals who have cared for their own family members have firsthand knowledge of the effects of depression, schizophrenia, and substance use disorder on individuals and families. While the experience informs their work in many positive ways, it can also make them susceptible to strong emotional reactions that may cloud their judgment. During this webinar, HMA clinical psychologist, consultant, and family caregiving expert Barry Jacobs explored strategies that behavioral health professionals can employ to manage their emotions in professional situations, ensuring the most effective and constructive interactions with family members and treatment teams as well as the best possible outcomes for patients.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the burgeoning phenomenon of family caregiving in America.
  • Find out how behavioral health professionals are impacted by their own personal family caregiving experiences in both positive and potentially negative ways, including a look at the most recent research on the subject.
  • Learn three effective strategies behavioral health professionals can employ to manage their own emotional reactions to interactions with clients and staff members.

Speaker

Barry Jacobs, Psy.D., Principal, Philadelphia

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Overcoming COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Behavioral Health Staff and Patients

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This webinar was held on April 28, 2021.

This is the first webinar in the series “Exploring the Landscape of Behavioral Healthcare,” a series on the growing impact of behavioral healthcare on clinical outcomes and cost.

Behavioral health providers continue to struggle to increase COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among staff and patients, especially in communities of color. During this webinar, HMA behavioral health experts discussed strategies for increasing vaccine acceptance among behavioral health providers and clients. Speakers also addressed how disparities in COVID-19 infection rates impact behavioral healthcare.

Speakers

Laquisha Grant, MPA, Senior Consultant
Deb Peartree, RN, MS, Senior Consultant

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Continuous Quality – How Medicaid and Medicare Plans Can Stay Ahead of Evolving HEDIS, CAHPS, and Accreditation Requirements

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This webinar was held on April 6, 2021. 

Medicaid and Medicare Advantage plans can avoid the disruptive triannual accreditation fire drill by instituting a process-driven approach to continuous quality improvement, driving member satisfaction, improving health outcomes, and ensuring a smooth accreditation process. During this webinar, HMA experts provided strategies and best practices for maintaining ongoing quality processes. Speakers also provided an understanding of the growing role that HEDIS and CAHPS measures play in member assignment, plan ratings, and pay-for-performance programs.

Learning Objectives: 

  • Identify key trends in health plan accreditation and how to position your organization for success.
  • Understand the growing importance of HEDIS and CAHPS measures in ensuring member health and long-term plan success.
  • Learn about upcoming changes in key quality metrics along with best practices and processes for hitting new member outcome and satisfaction targets.
  • Find out how to establish an ongoing process for quality reporting and evaluation, ensuring optimal accreditation results.

HMA Speakers

Diana Criss, Principal, Lansing, MI
Margaret Williams, Principal, Los Angeles, CA
David Wedemeyer, Principal, Los Angeles, CA

Webinar

Webinar Replay: CMS’ Interoperability Rule – Magnifying Data and Powering your Analytics

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This webinar was held on March 31, 2021.

During this Health Performance Accelerator by HMA & HealthEC webinar, our panel of experts summarized the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule, walked through what this data will do for your organization, and explored how it could positively impact the economics of healthcare.

Speakers

Laura Zaremba, Principal, HMA
Alexandra Gorman, Managing VP, Private Sector, HealthEC
Robert Chouinard, VP, Public Sector, HealthEC
Webinar

Webinar Replay: How FQHCs Can Deliver Innovative Care Under Existing and Value-based Payment Models

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This webinar was held on March 18, 2021.

Efforts by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) to reach underserved communities, address health inequity, and re-engage marginalized individuals are greatly enhanced when payment models are maximized to support innovation in the delivery of care. During this webinar, HMA experts addressed how FQHCs can enhance payments and boost opportunities to innovate under both the current Prospective Payment System and under emerging alternative, value-based payment models. Speakers also addressed creative strategies for outreach, engagement, care management, and the implementation of alternate clinical care modalities such as group visits and telehealth.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Prospective Payment System.
  • Learn how to enhance reimbursements for specialized services.
  • Identify opportunities and barriers among alternative payment models.
  • Find out how to succeed in a value-based care environment.

HMA Speakers

Art Jones, MD, Principal, Chicago, IL
Diana Rodin, Senior Consultant, New York, NY

Webinar

Webinar Replay: Improving COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence in Underserved Populations

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This webinar was held on March 16, 2021.

COVID-19 vaccination has lagged among underserved populations and communities of color in part because of a deeply rooted historical skepticism concerning the safety and efficacy of certain medical treatments and procedures. During this webinar, experts from HMA, Tufts Health Plan, and ConsejoSano discussed how healthcare providers and public health officials can engage underserved populations and communities of color, build trust through tailored strategies, and raise the level of comfort and confidence among individuals still reticent to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the drivers of lagging COVID-19 vaccination rates among underserved populations and communities of color.
  • Find out how to build confidence in the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines using strategies tailored to specific populations and specific healthcare settings.
  • Understand the special challenges and promising strategies for increasing vaccine confidence among individuals with behavioral health issues.
  • Explore a novel high-tech, high-touch multicultural engagement solution for tailoring vaccine confidence strategies to diverse populations.
  • Learn how to tackle underlying health equity challenges that might hinder efforts to improve COVID vaccination rates among underserved populations and communities of color.

Speakers

Margaret Kirkegaard, MD, Principal, HMA
Karen Hill, Senior Consultant, HMA
Deb Peartree, Senior Consultant, HMA
Gary Rosenfield, SVP of Business Development & Strategy, ConsejoSano
Juan Lopera, Corporate Business Diversity Officer, VP of Marketing & RI Medicaid, Tufts Health Plan

 

Webinar

The Future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA): Implications of November’s Elections and a Supreme Court Decision

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After the November 3 elections, the political landscape will shift as the composition of the next administration, Congress and many state legislatures and governors’ offices begins to take shape. If President Trump is reelected, his administration will position to govern for another four years. If former Vice President Joe Biden is elected, his campaign will accelerate transition planning and prepare actions to implement change immediately upon inauguration. At the same time, on November 10, the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments regarding the continued validity of the Affordable Care Act.

The presidential, congressional and state elections, and the Supreme Court’s decision, will drive the future of the ACA and health care coverage in the U.S. While any significant change will take time to implement, uncertainty will require action and planning from all health care stakeholders as they navigate the emerging scenarios and position for future shifts.

During this webinar, HMA and Dentons will discuss the specific pathways that change could take. Specifically:

  • What impact could the Supreme Court’s decision have on the ACA, and what is the expected timing of this decision?
  • What impact could the November election results have on the Supreme Court’s decision?
  • What immediate actions should stakeholders expect for Marketplace and Medicaid coverage as a result of the November elections?
  • If Democrats gain control of the White House and Congress, how will Democrats implement campaign pledges, for example to create a public option and expand Medicare to those ages 60 to 65?
  • How will the future direction of the ACA impact other health care coverage?
  • How would Medicare be affected by the ACA decision and the results of the November elections?
  • How should specific health care stakeholder groups (e.g., consumers and patients, health plans, delivery systems, states) respond and prepare for changes?

Speakers

Jonathan (Jon) Blum, MPP, Vice President, Federal Policy and Managing Director, Medicare, HMA

Bruce Merlin Fried, Partner, Dentons’ Health Care Practice

Charles Luband, Partner, Dentons’ Health Care Practice

Kathleen Nolan, Regional Vice President, HMA