January 2023 Edition
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PHAs 2023 State of Population Health is
Just 1 Week Away
Join us next Thursday, January 19th
1:00pm-4:00pm ET
Much like our national presidential State of the Union Address taking place early each year, PHA is holding—our own version—a “State of Population Health” forum to address important issues and trends facing multi-stakeholder population health improvement organizations and to set the agenda for the coming year. This virtual three-hour program, to be held on Thursday, January 19, 2023 starting at 1pm EST, is no cost to attend for both members and non-PHA members. We encourage you to start the year-off right and join us for this important thought-leadership event.

Take a look at the day's agenda and our great slate of speakers:
AGENDA

1:00pm-1:15pm
Population Health 2023 Market Trends
  • Rose Maljanian, Chairman & CEO, HealthCAWS and Chairman of the Board Emeritus Population Health Alliance
1:15pm-1:45pm
CMMI VBC, SDoH, and Health Equity Priorities
  • Kate Johnson, Acting Deputy Division Director, Division of Population Health Incentives and Infrastructure, Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation
 
1:45pm-2:30pm
Panel: Delivery System Challenges and Innovations
  • Laurel Pickering, Head, Strategic Alliances, Centivo and President PHA (Moderator)
  • Robert Fields, MD MHA, EVP, Chief Population Health Officer, Mount Sinai Health System
  • Jenny Reid, SVP, Value-based Care, Baylor, Scott and White
  • Annette Vernon, Senior Director of Clinical Integration and Population Health Strategy, Ascension
 
2:30pm-3:00pm
Meeting Consumers Where They Are The Continuum of Right Care, Right Place, Right Time!
  • Gary Jacobs, Executive Director, VillageMD Center for Public Policy
  • Tom Cornwell MD, National Medical Director, Village Medical at Home


3:00pm-3:45pm
Panel: The End of the PHE and Medicaid Redetermination  Getting It Right
  • Leesa Allen, Managing Director, Sellers Dorsey (Moderator)
  • Cindy Beane, Commissioner, West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services
  • Suzanne Bierman, Sellers Dorsey, former Administrator, Division of Health Care Financing and Policy Nevada Medicaid
  • Jami Snyder, former Director of Arizona’s Cost Containment System, Arizona Medicaid

3:45pm-4:00pm
Closing Remarks
  • Laurel Pickering, Head, Strategic Alliances, Centivo and President PHA

FEATURED SPEAKERS
TOM CORNWELL
National Medical Director, Village Medical
at Home
KATE JOHNSON
Acting Deputy Division Director for the Division of Population Health Incentives and Infrastructure at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation

GARY JACOBS
Executive Director,
VillageMD Center
for Public Policy

LAUREL PICKERING
PHA President-elect and
Head, Strategic Alliances, Centivo
ROBERT FIELDS, MD, MHA
Executive Vice President, Chief Population Health Officer, Mount Sinai
Health System
ROSE MALJANIAN
Chairman and CEO, HealthCAWS and
Chairman Emeritus, PHA Board of Directors
JAMI SNYDER
Director at Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS)
CINDY BEANE
Commissioner,
West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services

JENNY REED
Senior Vice President,
Value-based Care at Baylor Scott & White Health
SUZANNE BIERMAN
Administrator, Division of Health Care Financing and Policy (Nevada Medicaid)

LEESA ALLEN
Managing Director
Sellers Dorsey
ANNETTE VERNON
Senior Director of Clinical Integration and Population Health Strategy, Ascension
Reserve your space today for free for this very special event:
Melissa Fox to Serve as PHA President-Elect
PHA is pleased to announce that Melissa Fox, MHA, FACMPE, FACHE has been named PHA President-elect.

“In addition to her tremendous experience and background, Melissa has already provided great insights as a Board member and member of our working committees. As such, she was an obvious choice and we are honored to welcome her into the President-elect role,” said PHA Chairman Emeritus Rose Maljanian, Chairman & CEO HealthCAWS.
Ms. Fox is the Chief Operating Officer at Acenda Integrated Health. Acenda is a nonprofit organization dedicated to industry-leading prevention, treatment, and wellness services compassionately delivered to ensure that every individual, family, and community achieves their greatest potential. Acenda provides health and social service programs across 56+ locations throughout New Jersey. 
In her current role as COO, Melissa Fox oversees the operations and systems of more than 100 programs throughout 13 counties in New Jersey. As a family services agency, Acenda provides evidence-based programming in child welfare, prevention, juvenile justice, outpatient mental health, crisis services, substance use disorder treatment, and supportive housing. Under Melissa’s leadership, the Acenda team has received funding to launch innovative programming including a residential program for pregnant women in recovery, an initiative which provides housing and support services for families at risk of homelessness, and a regional partnership grant to provide supports to children who may be at risk due to a caregiver or parent’s substance use disorder.
 
Melissa has had a distinguished career of 20+ years leading innovations in health care operations including Federally Qualified Health Centers, Healthcare for the Homeless, Behavioral Health, Home Care and Hospice. Fox is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, the National Association of Health Services Executives, and the Medical Group Management Association and is an adjunct faculty member for Health Administration at Wilmington University. She has been featured in the South Jersey Journal as a top African American Leader in Healthcare, as well as a 2019 Most Influential African American. She has also been recognized as one of the 2021 African American Women Leaders in New Jersey by the South Jersey Journal.
PHA Welcomes Dixon Thayer to Our Board of Directors
PHA has welcomed a new industry leader to our Board of Directors—R. Dixon Thayer, CEO of HealthNEXT

“We are pleased to welcome Dixon to the PHA Board of Director—his executive leadership experience spanning decades in healthcare will greatly contribute to the Board and the PHA membership,” states PHA Chairman Emeritus Rose Maljanian, Chairman & CEO HealthCAWS.
Dixon Thayer provides leadership, directs strategic planning, and oversees the operations and business growth of HealthNEXT. During his previous role as the Chief Executive Officer of I-trax, Inc. (AMEX: DMX), I-trax established itself as the pre-eminent leader in on-site workplace health and wellness services, with over 100 clients including Toyota, GE, Goldman Sachs, Johnson & Johnson, Lowes, and Disney. Dixon has held several senior leadership positions in large and small organizations in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America during critical times of change. As a personal advisor, Dixon helped the CEO of Kellogg’s restructure and revitalize the company for more growth, aided the senior partners of Pricewaterhouse Coopers in their pursuit of value-added services, and assisted the senior executives of Bank of America in the development of organic growth strategies. Dixon is currently on the executive faculty of the Duke Corporate Education Center and also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Kieve-Wavus Education Foundation. Dixon received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. He is currently a senior fellow at Jefferson School of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Start Planning Now to Attend PHA's Innovation Summit 2023
October 25th -26th | Washington, DC 
For information about sponsorship opportunities, please review our
'Sponsor and Partner Program Guide, and email us with your selection
PHA MEMBER NEWS ROUND-UP
Take a look at some of the latest happenings from our PHA Members
CareOregon and SCAN Group Announce Intent to Combine as HealthRight Group, a National Mission-Driven Healthcare Organization
 
Oregon-based CareOregon and California-based SCAN Group (SCAN) announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine as a mission-driven not-for-profit healthcare organization under the name HealthRight Group. HealthRight will bring together the expertise and resources of two nationally renowned organizations to improve access for people traditionally underserved by the US healthcare system. Members and patients of both organizations will continue to receive the same quality services without disruption, in line with HealthRight’s focus on the communities it serves. As part of the transaction, SCAN Group—parent company of SCAN Health Plan—will be renamed HealthRight Group. Both CareOregon and SCAN Health Plan consumer-facing brands will remain unchanged and CareOregon will maintain its separate board, community advisory councils and staffing. Read more.
Merck and Kelun-Biotech Announce Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement for Seven Investigational Antibody-drug Conjugate Candidates for the Treatment of Cancer

Merck, and Kelun-Biotech (a holding subsidiary of Sichuan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd), a clinical-stage biotech company focused on biologic and small molecule discovery and development, recently announced that the companies have entered into an exclusive license and collaboration agreement to develop seven investigational preclinical antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) for the treatment of cancer. Read full release.
University Hospitals Performs First Arthroscopic Surgeries in Ohio using New ArthroFree® Wireless Camera System

University Hospitals (UH) announced the completion of the first arthroscopic surgeries in Ohio, and amongst the first ever, using the new ArthroFree® Wireless Camera System. ArthroFree is the first wireless surgical camera system to receive market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in broad endoscopic applications including arthroscopy. UH is the first provider in Ohio to use this new technology, developed by Cleveland-based Lazurite. Read full story.
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Enhances Blue Distinction Centers for Maternity Care Criteria to Advance Health Equity

The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) recently released new evaluation criteria for Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) for Maternity Care starting in 2023. The enhanced measures evaluate each facility based on quality and its commitment to health equity, including how the facility collects and analyzes race and ethnicity data to reduce health care disparities. BDC for Maternity Care is a national center of excellence program that encompasses more than 1,000 health care facilities nationwide—almost 25% of all birthing hospitals. Designated facilities must meet rigorous quality evaluations that measure structure, process and patient outcomes. In 2020, BDC for Maternity Care centers had 75% fewer early elective deliveries and a 24% lower cesarean section delivery rate, when compared to non-designated facilities. Read more
Geisinger College’s School of Nursing Awarded $2.5 million Grant to for Building Renovation Project

Late December Gov. Tom Wolf announced that Geisinger College of Health Sciences was awarded a $2.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant for a School of Nursing renovation project. The funds will be used to renovate and repurpose a vacated building in downtown Lewistown into a fully functional, state-of-the-art facility to house the school. The new expanded facility will allow the school to increase the number of nursing graduates to serve both Mifflin and Juniata Counties, as well as the Commonwealth, while providing additional space for the growth of the School of Nursing in the future. Read more here.
Recombinant Adeno-Associated Virus (rAAV) Technology Pioneered by AskBio’s Dr. Jude Samulski is Key Component of All FDA Approved AAV Gene Therapeutics

Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio), a wholly-owned and independently-operated subsidiary of Bayer AG, recently announced that the FDA’s approval of a new adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy to treat adults with hemophilia B marks another milestone for the advancement of AAV therapeutics and highlights the important research contributions made by AskBio Co-Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer, R. Jude Samulski, PhD. The significance of Dr. Samulski’s groundbreaking AAV work is validated by the role his pioneering research and discoveries have played in the development of all currently approved AAV gene therapies and most that are in the clinic. Dr. Samulski’s early discovery of how to clone AAV led to its widespread use as a mechanism to deliver healthy genes to cells, and we believe this is the foundation for AAV genetic medicine as it stands today. Read full release.
Novartis Presents Pivotal Phase III APPLY-PNH Data at ASH Demonstrating Investigational Oral Monotherapy Iptacopan Superiority over Anti-C5

Novartis recently announced detailed results from the pivotal Phase III APPLY-PNH trial1. The results showed a vast majority of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) who received the investigational oral monotherapy iptacopan achieved clinically meaningful increases in hemoglobin levels compared to anti-C5 therapy1. The study met both primary endpoints and most secondary endpoints, with iptacopan demonstrating superiority over anti-C5 therapy in adult patients with PNH experiencing residual anemia despite prior treatment with anti-C5 therapy1. Read full release.
Commission for Case Manager Certification 2022-2023 Call for Applications for Service as Commissioner

The Commission for Case Manager Certification announces its call for applications seeking candidates for the Board of Commissioners. Individuals that hold the CCM® and/or CDMS® credential that are interested in volunteer board service are encouraged to apply. The Commission seeks individuals with passion, skills and experience with diversity of clinical practice settings and across allied health to contribute to its mission and vision. The Commission seeks candidates who are willing to support the organization’s mission to promote the professional practices of case management and disability management through board certification and related services. Read more
Digital Health’s Newest Funding Hub is in the United Arab Emirates

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed a deal with diabetic artificial intelligence company Digital Diagnostics in July. John Bertrand, CEO of Digital Diagnostics, said the Middle East has a lot of potential as a digital health hub because countries are creating more of a greenfield system than in the U.S. Read full release.
Thomas Jefferson University Commemorates Success of Historic Merger with Philadelphia University

This year marks five years since the historic merger of two celebrated Philadelphia institutions — Thomas Jefferson University (Jefferson), a health sciences university that was founded in 1824 as the Jefferson Medical College, and Philadelphia University, a regional masters university and the nation’s first textile school founded in 1884. Demonstrated successes include increased enrollment, better value, increased funded research, enhanced rankings, and an impressive 97% job or graduate school success rate. Read full story.
NCQA Receives Excellence in Diversity Award

We’re proud to announce that NCQA has received the James W. Rouse Excellence in Diversity Award from the Chesapeake Human Resources Association (CHRA). This award honors employers in the Baltimore-Washington region that have demonstrated a commitment to promoting a diverse, inclusive and healthy workplace. NCQA, the only organization to receive the 2022 award, was selected for cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment through innovative HR initiatives. Learn more.
ACLM Offers Free Lifestyle Medicine Training to NYC Hospitals

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) recently announced a new partnership — as a result of a massive $44 million investment by ACLM — to provide every New York City health care practitioner with free introductory training in nutrition and lifestyle medicine, enabling practitioners to integrate evidence-based content into their clinical practice to treat certain health conditions. The initial phase will include practitioners at 20 hospitals and health systems that serve millions of New Yorkers. The $44 million investment from ACLM will cover training for up to 200,000 doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, dietitians, and other health care professionals in New York City and is the largest lifestyle medicine training rollout in the world. Read full release.
Advancing Arthritis Public Health Priorities through National Organizations

Last month, the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other key partners convened the CDC Arthritis Expert Advisory Panel and Design Team. During the course of 2023, the panel will provide guidance in the development of an evidence-informed healthcare provider approach to conduct function, pain, and physical activity screenings; patient counseling on the benefits of physical activity; and referrals to arthritis appropriate evidence-based interventions (AAEBI), and other non-pharmacological interventions. Read announcement.
3M Showcasing 3M M*Modal Fluency for Imaging's New Dynamic Templates and Macros at Radiology Society of North America Meeting

3M Health Care Business Group's Health Information Systems (HIS) division previewed its new dynamic templates and macros for 3M™ M*Modal Fluency for Imaging at a recent meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Recognized by KLAS Research as #1 Best in KLAS in the Speech Recognition: Front-End Imaging category for 2022, 3M Fluency for Imaging is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered speech reporting solution that helps radiologists create accurate reports faster. Seamlessly integrated into 3M Fluency for Imaging, the new enhancement enables radiologists to codify field choices and incorporate logic into their report by allowing them to insert information based on different clinical guidelines using a new variable field type. Read on.
Centivo to Present at the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference

Centivo, a new type of health plan for self-funded employers anchored around pre-eminent providers of value-based care, announced that Ashok Subramanian, Centivo Founder & CEO, will be presenting at the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference taking place this month. Ashok will participate on a panel titled “How Innovation is Driving Meaningful Transformation in Health Care” alongside Dr. Daniel Stein, Founder & CEO of Embold Health and Ellen Kelsay, President & CEO at Business Group on Health. Read full release.
Take a Stand - Sign the Petition

Arche Healthcare is committed to helping those with diabetes and catch potential lower extremity issues before they become critical. We’ve started a petition to establish a HEDIS Pedis™. This would make an annual diabetic foot assessment part of the Comprehensive Diabetes Care HEDIS® measure, preventing thousands of diabetes-related lower extremity amputations. Sign the petition to show your support. Sign the petition.
Adventist Health Howard Memorial Receives Women’s Choice Award

Adventist Health Howard Memorial hospital has been named one of America’s Best Hospitals for Emergency Care and Patient Experience by the Women’s Choice Award®, a trusted referral source for the best in healthcare. The award places Adventist Health Howard Memorial in the top 100 hospitals in the country in Patient Safety and in the top 3% for Emergency Care. Read full announcement.
Franciscan Alliance Facility Created to Serve Changing Healthcare Needs of Community

Franciscan Alliance's South Suburban Chicago Division's new ambulatory care facility is scheduled to open January 1, 2023 at the site of the former Franciscan Health Chicago Heights hospital. Specialty Physicians of Illinois, LLC (SPI) Family Medicine and Walk-In Clinic is located at 1400 Otto Boulevard. The Walk-In Clinic, which opens January 1, 2023 offers same-day, compassionate care close to home 365 days a year. The SPI Family Medicine practice will open later in January. The Family Medicine and Walk-In Clinic provide an appropriate level of care for patients who might otherwise use the emergency room for non-emergency treatment. Read story.
Elevate Health's OnePierce Aids Mission-Driven Organizations to Advance Behavioral Health Equity

OnePierce Community Resiliency Fund (OnePierce), the investment arm of Elevate Health, recently issued $200,000 in grant monies to fund projects aimed at improving health equity in Pierce County, the second-most populous county in the state. These grants were made through the OnePierce Behavioral Health Equity Challenge. Read full release.
Mars Acquires Whole-Fruit Snacking Brand Trü Frü
 
Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned, global leader in confectionery, snacking, food, and pet care products and services announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Trü Frü, a high-growth, better-for-you, whole-fruit snacking brand from its founders and management team. Trü Frü’s innovative, high-quality and unique snacks are made from real fruit and immersed in premium chocolate. The snacks are available in both a frozen and shelf-stable format across the U.S. The brand has demonstrated strong consumer appeal, and its total sales have increased by more than fivefold since 2017. Read full release.
Independent Health Sponsors First Night® Buffalo, a Virtual New Year’s Eve celebration for families

First Night® Buffalo, brought to you by the Independent Health Foundation in partnership with John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital, featured an entertaining line-up of family friendly video performances for free on the evening of December 3. Watch event
HealthCheck 360 Offers Free Well-Being Calendar for January

HealthCheck 360's FREE monthly well-being calendar is ready to download. In January, we're sharing tips and tricks on how you can reset your well-being goals for 2023. Download calendar.
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and All of Our Members!