(Portland, OR) -- Five years ago, Oregon began work aimed at transforming the way health care is delivered to members of the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), Oregon's Medicaid program, by creating coordinated care organizations (CCOs) to manage health care services at the local level to improve health outcomes and reduce cost growth.
In Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties, eleven health care and social services organizations serving OHP members came together to chart a new course for delivering OHP services. The result of that collaboration was Health Share of Oregon, incorporated on April 16, 2012.
"Health Share of Oregon, together with all of our partners, has been a catalyst for health transformation in our community," said Janet L. Meyer, Chief Executive Officer for Health Share of Oregon. "The work isn't always easy, but the results are rewarding and our members deserve nothing but the best we have to offer."
Transformation highlights from Health Share, and each of its founding partners, can be found in Health Share's five-year report: The Power of Together | Five Years of Health Transformation, 2012-2017.
URL: www.HealthShareOregon.org/ThePowerofTogether_FiveYearsofHealthTransformation_2012-2017.pdf
Over the last five years, Health Share has consistently improved care for its members by:
* Reducing the annual rate of ER visits by 25 percent
* Tripling the rate of developmental screenings
* Increasing adolescent well care visits by 57 percent
* Increasing depression screenings by 18 percent since 2014
* More than doubling enrollment in patient-centered primary care homes
"Beyond hitting important benchmarks, Health Share's structure allows us as partners to focus on critical support services our community needs to be healthy," says Health Share board vice chair Ed Blackburn, executive director of Central City Concern. "This means increasing access to housing and home visits, and intensive case management."
Looking to the future, Health Share will focus on three main priorities; promote early life health, enhance behavioral health, and increase health equity. Health Share has invested in various programs and supports to jump start this work, including Health Share's kindergarten readiness focus; Wheelhouse, a program focused on reducing opioid use dependence through Medication Assisted Treatment; and reducing health disparities through increased Community Health Worker and Peer services, among others.
"The board's strategic direction for Health Share moving forward is to focus on supporting the well-being of our community," said Eric Hunter, president and CEO of CareOregon, and chair for Health Share's board of directors.
Meyer added, "I'm proud of the work we've done together over the past five years. We will continue to focus our efforts on the needs of our members because business as usual is not an option if we are committed to achieving better care, smarter spending and healthier people."
To learn more about Health Share of Oregon and the services provided to members, please visit HealthShareOregon.org.
About Health Share of Oregon
Health Share of Oregon is the state's largest Medicaid coordinated care organization (CCO), serving more than 200,000 Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties. Our mission is to partner with communities to achieve ongoing transformation, health equity, and the best possible health for each individual.
Health Share was founded and continues to be governed by eleven health care organizations serving OHP members: Adventist Health, CareOregon, Central City Concern, Clackamas County, Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health, Multnomah County, Oregon Health & Science University, Providence Health & Services, Tuality Health Alliance and Washington County.
April 18, 2017
