Sustainability Technical Assistance Program STAP Conference Call Series Rural Health NetworkOutreach

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Sustainability Technical Assistance Program
(STAP)Conference Call SeriesRural Health
Network/Outreach Grantees

• Thursday, February 26th, 2009

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Southeast Texas Health System

• Southeast Texas Health System, or STHS, was
  developed in 1994 as a regional response to
  changes in managed care.
• It is a non-profit but taxable entity equally
  owned by 7 hospitals.
• Southeast Texas Physician Organization, a 162 (b)
  of the Texas Medical Practice act is part of
  STHS.

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Mission Statements

• To integrate healthcare locally and regionally
  for purposes of responding to the growth of
  managed care in a way that preserves local
  control and maintains the independence of member
  institutions. (1994)

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Mission Statements

• The members share common goals of operating a
  cost-effective, quality integrated healthcare
  delivery system to provide a continuum of
  healthcare services and products that offer a
  greater efficiency, economy, quality, and
  availability of such services that the individual
  providers can offer alone. (1997)

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Virtual Integration The Paradigm Shift

• In virtual integration each of the major
  segments of the health care systemthe
  physicians, the institutional providers, the
  payors/MCOs and the ancillary providers, (e.g.
  pharmacy)act in concert for a common cause, but
  none is an employee or subdivision of another.
  This allows each party to manage its own affairs
  and meet in its own financial goals without being
  managed by another segment of the industry. The
  Managed Health Care Handbook by Peter R.
  Kongstvedt

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Change Drivers

• Disparities in Rural areas that intensifies lack
  of infrastructure, resources and access
• Need for a regional response to changes in
  payors--specifically Medicaid and Medicare

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Grants Program

• STHS Members are grant applicants and
  participants
• STHS handles grants administration, member
  coordination and grant staff
• Grants support the STHS principles

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Texas Independence Program

• Designed to reduce the need for long-term
  institutional placement for target population
• Increase options for target population
• Blend primary care with preventative and support
  services through enhanced resource management and
  home and community based services
• Increase cost efficiency of Medicaid Long term
  care

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Relationships with Partners

• State Agencies
• Medicaid, State and Local
• Statewide Organizations
• Texas Organization of Rural and Community
  Hospitals (TORCH)
• Texas Health Services Authority
• Other Grantees
• Other Providers in the region

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Lessons Learned

• Know the Agencies and their issues
• Know the local agency staff, ask for contacts at
  the state level
• Know how you can benefit the agency
• Demonstrate that you can provide that benefit
• Be prepared for the Agency to change

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Contact Information

• Shannon S. Calhoun
• Southeast Texas Health System
• 231 S. Market Street, Ste 200
• PO Box 947
• Goliad, Texas 77963
• P 361.645.1762
• F 361.645.1743
• scalhoun.sths_at_att.net