Guide positions Minnesota hospitals to be leaders in enhancing value in health care delivery, payment

The Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) board recently adopted a new three-year strategic plan with several new initiatives and directions for the association.

The document, which the MHA Board of Directors will revisit at least annually, helps the association thoughtfully evaluate and pursue its goals and priorities based on the needs of the members and their patients, said MHA President and CEO Lawrence Massa.

"The dynamic changes we're experiencing today in our economy, in the health care industry and in the political climate increase the need for strong advocacy and a united voice from our members," he said, "and the strategic plan is the guide we will use to proactively shape the policies that support our members’ ability to accomplish their community-service missions."

Find the document here: [PDF].

Association leaders and board members had been developing the plan since last summer. Key topics covered include, for instance:

• health care reform and MHA's role in developing and advocating for new care delivery models and payment methodologies;
• the association's efforts to build and support two national coalitions dedicated to revising Medicare reimbursement policies to reward value over volume;
• continuing MHA's long-standing pursuit of affordable health insurance for all Minnesota residents; and
• the urgent need for MHA to advocate for restoring coverage for residents in Minnesota's General Assistance Medical Care program in light of the pending elimination of the program's state funding.

One of the new endeavors from the plan calls for a new physician leadership council within MHA. Recognizing the importance of engaging physicians who work for MHA members in the association's policy development and activities, the MHA board authorized the creation of the new council.

The strategic plan also calls for ambitious new initiatives aimed at helping reduce the overall growth in health care spending and defining the appropriate measure of "value" in health care. "In the past, our association was more focused on levels of reimbursement than on cost reduction," said Massa, "and this plan recognizes that our members' success will increasingly depend upon our community's collective ability to control cost."

Massa also acknowledged that "defining 'value' in health care might seem like a pipe dream to others around the country but felt confident that it was the right direction for MHA to pursue because "the incentives that will drive quality improvement, affordable access, and lower costs will become more powerful when providers are rewarded for the value of services they deliver rather than volume of services they deliver."

The 2010-2013 MHA Strategic Plan is bold and flexible, Massa said.

"We've got our work cut out for us, but Minnesota's hospitals and health systems continue to be among the best positioned in the nation to show the way to positive change in health care," he said.

For more information, contact Massa at (651) 659-1433.