Integrated Care Collaborative (Now Integrated Care Learning Network)
Over the last several months during the response to COVID-19, SWACH and the Integrated Care Collaborative (ICC) have continued to hold regularly scheduled monthly webinars for its partners. These webinars were optional and provided content on how to provide integrated patient/client-centered care in a virtual environment.
Our integration experts have also provided technical assistance to partners as needed to help them walk through setting up their telehealth services in response to COVID-19. We have also helped our partners in thinking through how to utilize and optimize telehealth sustainability, beyond COVID-19.
SWACH recognizes that partner needs and capacity have changed due to the pandemic and has adapted the collaborative structure to meet the needs of partners participating in the ICC. Previously, the ICC was cohort-based with a structured model to support clinical partners in their integration work.
Based on participant feedback, the ICC has transitioned to a less-structured non-cohort-based model now known as the Integrated Care Learning Network (ICLN). SWACH clinical partners that were not previously participating in the ICC have been invited to join the ICLN.
The ICLN includes monthly webinars through 2020 that are focus on shared learning and discussion amongst physical and behavioral health organizations with content and resources that are responsive to partner needs. Upcoming topics include: Innovations out of COVID-19, Population Health, COVID-19 and Flu Season, Behavioral Health Access Needs & COVID-19 and Opportunities to Collaborate with Managed Care Organizations.
A Familiar Model for Shared Learning
SWACH incorporates the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Model for Improvement training and technical assistance. Participating partners developed specific aim statements, measures and identifying small tests of changes for iterative plan-do-study-act cycles. This approach to physical health and behavioral health integration and equity will support the systems changes needed for sustainability.
Safety Net’s Patient Centered Medical Home Change Concepts have provided the framework for systems change in participating partner’s integration work. These eight evidence-based change concepts can be mapped to the MeHAF assessment tool, a tool that is utilized by all SWACH’s clinical partners as part of their reporting requirements on a bi-annual basis.
If you would like to learn more about participating in SWACH programs like the ICLN, please contact Kim Lepin (kim.lepin@southwestach.org) for more details.