Workforce
HMA’s approach to providing ACOs and Community Partners (CPs) with technical assistance and training programs in the Workforce domain is grounded in the extensive operational and leadership experience of our consultants across the healthcare delivery system. We know the technical and cultural challenges to system reform and team-based care because we have built teams, we have coached through transformations, and we have conducted robust training programs to help staff grow into new roles and responsibilities. Equipping health systems, community behavioral health organizations, and individuals to make the staffing model enhancements required for success in value-based payment requires systematic training and mechanisms to continually enhance the skills of staff at all levels of the organizations.
In response to the needs of ACOs and CPs, we expect requests for technical assistance for workforce development to include:
- Training for staff and providers on value-based payment
- Training and support for staff and providers to enhance team-based care and care integration
- Skill development to perform new roles
For more information, contact [email protected]
Meet Our Team
The HMA Workforce Domain Team, which is led by Lisa Whittemore, includes local and national experts with experience working with providers to design and execute training objectives. We will assess the specific needs of the potential technical assistance client and determine, from this Domain Team, how to organize the best group of resources to help the client.
View Our Recent Work
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers Value-Based Payment Readiness Series
- Project Challenge or Goals: Value-based payment environment will challenge health centers to adapt in a wide variety of areas and there is a gap in skills to adjust.
- Project Period: May – October 2017, with ongoing coaching as needed for individual health centers
- Project Description: HMA was hired to design and implement a series of Learning Collaboratives for health center leadership and staff on strategies for success in a value-based payment environment. The series engaged 35 community health center teams and up to 135 individuals for each of the four sessions. Agendas were developed in collaboration with the MassLeague and responded to the core aggregated findings of the Value-Based Payment Readiness Survey completed by 22 health centers. Sessions involved sharing technical information and participant engagement via adult learning methodologies and applied learning techniques.
- Project Achievements: Evaluations from the Learning Collaborative sessions consistently gave high marks for the content and delivery of the information. Participants expressed a high degree of confidence in their ability to apply the information learned in their health centers.
Health Policy Commission PCMH Prime Learning Collaboratives and Practice Coaching Project
- Project Challenge or Goals: Support primary care practices in Massachusetts to achieve individualized goals of integration of behavioral health and primary care and achieve PCMH PRIME Certification
- Project Period: Cohort 1: March – September 2017; technical assistance ongoing
- Project Description: The Health Policy Commission (HPC) contracted with HMA to provide technical assistance to Massachusetts primary care practices working on integrating behavioral health (BH) into their models of care. HMA designed the curriculum collaboratively with the HPC to promote adoption of evidence-based models of BH integration, help practices meet the requirements and achieve PCMH PRIME Certification, and support practices to achieve their individual goals and priorities for integration. The curriculum included a combination of group learning opportunities, webinars to share technical information, and best practices and individualized coaching at the practice sites to meet local goals. Taken together, the curriculum is a robust and responsive model for integrating BH into the primary care setting. Specific foci of the practice coaching reflected the diversity of the priorities of participating practices and included: enhanced referral and communication processes with external BH providers, support for launching tele-BH capability, developing a team-based model of care, development of a functional registry for measurement-based care of members with BH conditions, and enhanced risk stratification methods.
- Project Achievements: At the end of cohort 1, 10 of the 12 participating primary care groups achieved or were ready to apply for PCMH PRIME Certification. Evaluations from the series showed participants enjoyed the learning opportunities and practice coaching and felt the support helped them achieve their goals.
Population Health Train-the-Trainer Model (Signature Healthcare)
- Project Challenge or Goals: Develop a population health management program based in primary care to improve quality measure performance. Train staff on evidence-based member engagement techniques using a train-the-trainer model.
- Project Period: September – December 2016
- Project Description: Signature Healthcare used a workforce development grant to hire HMA to help them develop a population management program for their primary care practices. HMA collaborated closely with leadership and primary care stakeholders to define a member engagement strategy and workflow based on best practices. We conducted a train-the-trainer session with approximately 25 Signature medical assistants, nurses, and supervisors to review the concepts of population health and value-based payment, engage them on the workflow, and teach them evidence-based member engagement techniques including motivational interviewing. Training techniques included exercises, demonstrations, and role-playing aligned with adult learning methods.
- Project Achievements: HMA implemented the training on time and on budget. Evaluations from the session were strong, with participants appreciating the role-play opportunities to build their skills.