This time of year offers a chance to reflect. Through the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of activity and forget to celebrate what and whom we are grateful for. This year, I am personally grateful for close family and friends, and wonderful memories of loved ones no longer with us. These wonderful memories help to shape us and provide direction as we look forward into the future. As a part of the Colorado health care non-profit community, I’m also thankful to be part of an innovative ecosystem of organizations and colleagues focused on improving the lives of Coloradans.
It’s striking how many organizations across Colorado are working to advance the Triple Aim of better health, better care and lower costs. No one person or organization can do it alone, and we’re extremely fortunate to have supportive funders and a collaborative environment that creates promising programs and initiatives. As we enter into unknown territory with a new president and potential repeal of some or all of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), we would be remiss if we didn’t celebrate what certain initiatives have done for Colorado so far and the organizations that have stepped up to the plate.
Beyond some of the more showcased items like reducing the number of uninsured through Medicaid expansion, the creation the health insurance marketplace, and eliminating restrictions surrounding pre-existing conditions, the ACA, included the development of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). CMMI has supported and continues to support many innovative pilot programs in Colorado aimed at testing and identifying how to truly reduce spending and improving care. Over the years, CIVHC has highlighted just a few of these projects including:
- Colorado's State Innovation Model
- Centura Health Implements Medicare ACO
- Southeast Health Group's Tipping Point
- 21st Century Care
- Cardiac and Stroke Care for Southwest Colorado and Pagosa Springs Medical Center
- MCPN Bridges to Care Hot Spotting
- Colorado Community Health Network and ACT
- COMPASS and Kaiser Permanente Colorado
- DRCOG's Denver Regional Care Connection
Colorado has always been an innovative state when it comes to advancing health care, and even prior to the ACA there was incredible work going on to make improvements to the system. CIVHC has had the pleasure of working with many of these organizations throughout the years, and considers providing support and data to these organizations as one of the most important things we can do to make a positive impact.
Other innovations in Colorado not tied to ACA funding include:
- Healthy Clinic Improvement Program - Colorado Rural Health Center
- CHORDS
- Aurora Health Access
- Mental Health First Aid Colorado
- Colorado Daylight Partnership
- Advancing Care Together
- DAWN Clinic
- Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
- University of Colorado, Dept. of Anesthesiology
- Komen Colorado
We’re in the midst of redesigning our website and plan to prominently feature all of the change agents advancing overall health and health care across the state. We would love to feature your organization’s work to advance the Triple Aim in our inventory and upcoming Spotlights on Innovation. Please email us at info@civhc.org and tell us what you’re doing so others can potentially learn from your innovation.
If we’re going to make a lasting impact on health care in Colorado, we have to continue to work together. Our system didn’t break overnight, and it’s going to take all of us continuing to work together to get back to a place where we feel it’s working for all of us. During this holiday season I want to thank those of you who continue to fight for the health of Colorado and wish you all a happy, healthy holiday season.
About the Author: Ana English is CIVHC's President and CEO. Contact her at aenglish@civhc.org