Tracking SIM practice transformation efforts 
March 29, 2019
Sowing seeds for future growth

Anyone who has planted a garden knows that big things come from small beginnings. And with the announcement of spring, the Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) office starts the countdown to the end of the initiative and takes pride in knowing that your work to deliver whole-person care will continue to thrive well into the future. SIM-funded practices across the state have made great strides, which have been shared with Governor Jared Polis and Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera during several meetings and a practice visit to Salud Family Health Center in Fort Collins (pictured above). We will continue to tout your successes and highlight the work done by SIM-funded local public health agencies, behavioral health transformation collaboratives and regional health connectors to ensure that Coloradans get the care they need when and where they need it. The SIM team will continue to coordinate practice site visits and look for patients, who are willing to tell their stories of how integration has influenced their lives. Email the SIM team with suggestions and help us tout your successes.
Lieutenant Gov. thanks SIM practices for leadership

The last two SIM-funded Collaborative Learning Sessions (CLS) were held in Broomfield and Grand Junction March 7-8 to acknowledge the work accomplished across the four pillars of the Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM) a federally funded, Governor's office initiative. Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera thanked SIM practices for their work to improve the health of Coloradans, which sets the stage for continued success. Stay tuned for a short video that shows highlights from the Broomfield CLS to be released on the SIM website in the coming weeks.
Get the help you need to report eCQMs

Don't miss this unique opportunity to participate in the SIM-funded electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) solution, which has been called the first to leverage blockchain technology for HIPAA-compliant data aggregation and reporting in Colorado. SIM recognizes the work entailed in reporting eCQMs and is funding this solution to help practices report measures while reducing the administrative burden of doing so. Read more and apply.
APM summit attracts providers, payers

The Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPi), a federally funded, Governor's office initiative that is managed by the SIM office, hosted an Alternative Payment Model Summit on March 18 that showcased TCPi practices and highlighted trends in value-based payment contracts for specialty care providers. TCPi practice representatives were given the opportunity to network with and learn from peers, and heard from representatives from commercial health plans, the Colorado Business Group on Health, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and others. S tay tuned for an article and the full video recording of the Summit to be published on the TCPi page on the SIM website.
Integrated behavioral health training for care teams
 
Primary care teams interested in learning more about integrating behavioral and physical health can take advantage of free e-learning modules funded by SIM. The two newest modules (Men and Depression, and Obesity and Depression) are now available on the e-learning online platform. Register for a free account using the registration code "SIM" and find out how these modules can help your care team integrate physical and behavioral health. Click here for a flier with more information about the available modules.
Engaging patients 

Materials developed by SIM help practices communicate their work to deliver integrated physical and behavioral health care. The goal is to help practices share what is frequently behind-the-scenes work, and prompt discussions. The patient-facing material, which was shared via email with practices in December 2018, was reviewed by the SIM consumer engagement workgroup and the Member Experience Advisory Council, a patient group convened by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. SIM practice representatives can download and customize the material and are encouraged to use it. Also, be sure to check out the new patient engagement page  on the SIM website for stories, podcasts and more that tell the story of how integrated care benefits patients.
Milliman cost and utilization report delay

The SIM team apologizes for a delay in practices receiving cost and utilization reports. The team identified a potential data quality issue with the latest data extract and is working to resolve it before practice reports are distributed. 
Tell the feds how SIM is doing

SIM practices will receive invitations to participate in a federal evaluation of the initiative's ability to accelerate health care transformation that result in better quality care, healthier people and access to integrated physical and behavioral health. SIM practices will receive emails from the SIM federal evaluation team, which includes RTI International, The National Academy for State Health Policy and The Henne Group (federal evaluation team) to gauge interest and willingness to participate in focus groups or interviews. Emails will end in @thehennegroup.com, @rti.org, or @nashp.org.
 
This evaluation team wants to hear from all types of practices including small and large, private practices, safety-net practices and those in and outside of the Denver area. The federal evaluation team will conduct focus group discussions and key informant interviews with SIM physicians, nurse practitioners and behavioral health providers. Interviews will last 60 minutes, and no stipend will be provided. Focus groups will last 60 minutes, and participants will receive a $300 stipend for their time.
 
The federal evaluation team will be in Denver April 24-26 to conduct in-person key informant interviews (at your office or a location you choose) and to conduct one, in-person focus group. From April 22-May 1, the federal evaluation team will also hold key informant interviews on the phone and conduct one, 60-minute virtual focus group using videoconferencing technology for providers outside the Denver area. If you are interested in participating in a focus group or being interviewed, contact Melissa Romaire: mromaire@rti.org.
Federal SIM evaluation report released

The "SIM Round 2 Model Test Annual Report Three," which includes Colorado, was released by RTI, the federal evaluator for SIM. Your participation in the interviews referenced in the blurb above help influence these reports, which includes cross-state findings, progress highlights and identified challenges. The Colorado-specific information starts on A1 of the report. The year-three report evaluation contract analyzes data collected between May 1, 2017, and March 30, 2018, which represents the year-three analysis period.
New data in Stratus  

Health First Colorado (Medicaid) data were updated in the Stratus™ tool on March 24, which represents an increased number of lives and provides SIM practices with a more complete patient population. The SIM office encourages practice transformation organizations and practices to log into Stratus™ and take advantage of this opportunity! Data were also updated at the end of February and included the following payers: Anthem, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, United, Cigna and Medicare.  Practices in SIM cohorts 1, 2 and 3 will have access to Stratus™ at no cost through the end of June. To take advantage of this no-cost opportunity, please submit a Stratus™ license request using this form. To learn more about the Stratus™ tool and get training resources, visit the Stratus™ web page on the SIM website  or email Elizabeth Mattes ( elizabeth.mattes@state.co.us ), SIM data management specialist.
SIM funds e-Consults

SIM is investing $500,000 in e-Consults to build capacity within the provider community and increase patient access to specialty care in rural, frontier and underserved areas of the state. E-Consults enable health care providers to consult remotely with specialists through secure platforms to exchange health information and discuss patient care. Typically, e-Consults initiated in primary care settings and physicians involved in the consultations send written reports to a patient's treating/requesting provider with recommended treatments or referrals for care delivery. SIM funds will help the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Mind Springs Health develop implementation plans to expand their e-Consult programs. Implementation plans will address program vision, alignment with organizational needs, governance and staffing models, workflow design, information technology, sustainability and program management. Development of these plans will support future growth beyond the initiative's time frame.  SIM is investing $500,000 in e-Consults to build capacity within the provider community and increase patient access to specialty care in rural, frontier and underserved areas of the state. E-Consults enable health care providers to consult remotely with specialists through secure platforms to exchange health information and discuss patient care. Typically, e-Consults initiated in primary care settings and physicians involved in the consultations send written reports to a patient's treating/requesting provider with recommended treatments or referrals for care delivery. SIM funds will help the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Mind Springs Health develop implementation plans to expand their e-Consult programs. Implementation plans will address program vision, alignment with organizational needs, governance and staffing models, workflow design, information technology, sustainability and program management. Development of these plans will support future growth beyond the initiative's time frame. 
RHCs recognized for their work

Two regional health connectors, Darlyn Miller (Central Colorado Area Health Education Center) and Mike Orrill (Chaffee County Public Health) were recognized by Peer Assistance services as recipients of the 2019 Founders Award. This award is given to individuals, foundations, corporations, community organizations and others who have made outstanding contributions that further the mission of Peer Assistance Services. Learn more about the award here.
Business curriculum available to SIM practices
 
The SIM office has been working with RT Welter and Associates to create a curriculum and webinars designed to help practices with skills to negotiate mutually-beneficial contracts with commercial payers. At this time, RT Welter and Associates has created two of six curricula and webinars, which were highlighted during the March Collaborative Learning Sessions in Denver and Broomfield. Learn more about these resources and watch for additional information from the SIM team.
Men's messaging for "Let's Talk" to debut in May

Industry members are gearing up for mental health month in May and SIM's metro local public health partners are preparing to release new messaging for the "Let's Talk Colorado" campaign to appeal to men, a population at high risk for untreated mental health issues and suicide. This customized messaging was prompted by the SIM-funded call-to-action report that identifies a need for more specific outreach to men of all ages across Colorado, who are not as likely to seek the type of whole-person care they need. Stay tuned for the full release from the creators of Let's Talk Colorado, which was funded by SIM, and includes customized language along these lines: "You don't have to have a heart-to-heart with a man you know to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. When he seems irritable or angry or just not himself, spend some time with him. Let him know he matters."
Get tips, tools about the QPP

Get details on the final rule for year 3 released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the latest installment of the Colorado Quality Payment Program (QPP) Coalition's "Fast Facts in 5 Minutes." The Coalition, which was formed in 2017 to help practice teams transition to value-based payment models, releases new resources monthly. Visit the web page for updates.
Events

Free clinical training
Free Clinical Training: The Office of Suicide Prevention will provide Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) training for select mental health and behavioral health providers in 2019. We still have space available at two CAMS trainings:
For more information about the CAMS trainings coming to Colorado through the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention, please email Lena Heilmann at Lena.Heilmann@state.co.us.

Working with persons with dual diagnoses
The Colorado Department of Human Services, Office of Behavioral Health and Department of Health Care Policy and Financing are hosting a workshop to provide skills and knowledge concerning diagnosing and working with individuals who have both an intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) and a mental health condition. Learn more about this event which is scheduled for April 24, 2019.

Prime Health Innovation Summit
Prime Health is teaming up with the Governor's Office of eHealth Innovation to make an impact and improve healthcare in Colorado. Join Colorado's health innovation ecosystem-policy makers, healthcare delivery systems, payers, providers, entrepreneurs and investors-as we discuss key priorities of the Colorado Health IT Roadmap and the role of entrepreneurs in reaching these goals. Learn more and register online.
Suggested reading

Teens were hospitalized for suicide. Researchers then asked them to think about the adults who cared about them.

A junction of poverty and opportunity
Nearly 140 years since the founding of La Junta, Colorado, we find ourselves at a new junction: The intersection of the disproportionate number of southern Coloradans living in poverty and elevating the solutions to build a healthier tomorrow for a place defined by its community resilience. This was the theme for the Colorado Health  Foundation's Symposium Unplugged event in La Junta. In the words of Cassie Rogers Wykoff, regional health connector for region 6 based out of the Otero County Health Department: "Any of us can look at the data. However, listening to each of the stories of people who call southeast Colorado home is most meaningful to my work." 
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The project described was supported by Funding Opportunity Number CMS-1G1-14-001 from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM), a four-year initiative, is funded by up to $65 million from CMS. The content provided is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of HHS or any of its agencies.