ClinicNET provides a number of services to Community Safety Net Clinics in Colorado. Our services are driven by the needs of affiliate clinics. From advocating for safety net issues to providing support services and educational resources, ClinicNET’s services strengthen Colorado’s health care safety net.
In spite of expanded coverage, there is still a significant need for CSNCs to provide care for those left without coverage, moving between coverage, or newly covered under Medicaid. CSNCs are skilled in providing exceptional care to low-income, underinsured, uninsured and publicly insured Coloradans. Many of our affiliate clinics are using innovative approaches that could be scaled or replicated to optimally serve people. Much of our work aims to increase recognition of CSNCs as key safety net providers and innovators in the health care safety net.
Safety Net Clinic Week
In an effort to celebrate, support and raise awareness for Colorado’s health care safety net, we host an annual Safety Net Clinic Week (SNCW). Since the first SNCW in 2010, ClinicNET and the Colorado Rural Health Center have co-sponsored this event to educate the public, policymakers and other community leaders about Colorado’s Community Safety Net Clinics (CSNCs) and federally certified Rural Health Clinics (RHCs). Check out the Safety Net Clinic Week 2016 event page for more information.
- Access to Care and Coverage: We support strategies to increase health care access to timely, affordable, high quality care for both the insured and the uninsured.
- Protect Funding for Health Care Safety Net Providers: We support policies and programs to protect funding and to minimize budget cuts or funds transfers that would impact Colorado’s CSNC’s.
- Workforce and Health Information Technology: We support efforts to ensure access to high quality health care through workforce development and technology.
- Health Equity, Chronic Disease Prevention and Population Health Management: We support policies to effectively prevent the occurrence of chronic conditions and manage population health.
- Delivery System Redesign and Payment Reform: We support changes to the health system designed to reach the “triple aim”: improve population health; lower costs; and improve quality.
ClinicNET is part of the the Colorado Primary Care Alliance, which represents more than 20 health, business, consumer, insurance and rural organizations concerned about proposed cuts in Medicaid rates for primary care services across Colorado. The coalition believes these cuts will negatively impact access to care and preventive health services, while challenging the viability of many small practices that provide jobs and are deeply rooted in their communities.
ClinicNET supports Amendment 72
This November, we can stop tobacco companies from getting more children and adults addicted to cigarettes for the rest of their lives. Increasing the cigarette tax is a proven way to reduce smoking and fight this deadly problem. This Amendment offers one of the best ways to improve the health of Coloradans, which is why ClinicNET supports it.
- Coaching and assistance to enhance competencies that support practice transformation and innovative care delivery
- Promoting technical advancements
- Providing quality improvement coaching to help clinics identify and address business operations and clinical inefficiencies
- Identifying best practices to reduce costs, improve clinical outcomes, and increase patient satisfaction
- Encouraging integrated best practice approaches to care delivery for physical, behavioral and oral health
Essential Perspectives for Safety Net Providers
Maximizing opportunities for CSNCs to increase access to quality care for people in need is core commitment. We host formal affiliate convenings, webinars and professional peer cohorts in order to provide education and networking opportunities. This shared learning helps safety net providers understand the changing health care environment, including the multitude of patient care initiatives, reimbursement and payment reform programs, and practice transformation initiatives in which safety net clinics are asked to participate.
Practice Transformation involves substantive change in how care is delivered to: better meet patient needs; achieve improved health outcomes at lower costs; and prepare for new, value-based payment for care.
ClinicNET’s quality initiatives, as a Practice Transformation Organization, include the provision of practice facilitation services that support Community Safety Net Clinics’ participation in opportunities including:
- Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM): practices selected to participate will receive technical assistance and financial support to integrate physical and behavioral health and test value-based payment. For more information: http://www.practiceinnovationco.org/sim/
- EvidenceNOW Southwest (ENSW): participating practices will receive practice facilitation and coaching, expert consultation, shared learning collaboratives and electronic health record support to build critical infrastructure enabling practices to apply latest medical research and tools to improve heart health. For more information: http://www.evidencenowsw.org/
- Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative (TCPi): participating practices will receive technical assistance support for integrating quality and process improvement to establish reliable feedback loops to effectively coordinate care. For more information: http://www.practiceinnovationco.org/tcpi/
- ClinicNET’s Practice Transformation Essentials Program: ClinicNET has received a three-year grant from Kaiser Permanente Community Health Fund* to facilitate and assess components of practice transformation for ClinicNET affiliates. ClinicNET will support participating clinics to optimize operational workflows, prioritize practice transformation initiatives, and cultivate consistent processes and accountable teams.
*Kaiser Permanente Community Health Fund is a donor-advised fund of The Denver Foundation