Maryland Hospital Transformation and Infrastructure ReportsThe All-Payer Model has made it imperative for Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (“DHMH”), the HSCRC, and hospitals to focus more specifically on improving care coordination, chronic care, provider alignment, and supporting infrastructure. The All-Payer Model operates in conjunction with a number of other endeavors currently underway in Maryland, including efforts to strengthen primary care and coordinate hospital care with community care; map and track preventable disease and health costs; develop public-private coalitions for improved health outcomes; and establish Regional Partnerships. The collective goal of these activities is to help support improved care delivery and population health with a focus on:
To emphasize these goals, the HSCRC required a series of reports and applications during CY 2015 as described below. GBR Infrastructure Reports - In Fiscal Years 2014, and 2015, the Commission, recognizing the need for seed funding to invest in best practices to improve care coordination activities, increased most GBR hospital's rates by a total of 0.65%, with the intent of it being used to invest in infrastructure that promotes the improvement of care delivery and reductions of potentially avoidable utilization. An additional 0.40% was provided in Fiscal Year 2016. This funding was approved by the Commission to support the transformation with the expectation that the real return on investment will occur if projects are focused and well executed. TPR hospitals have been provided even higher levels of funding on a proportional basis. On September 30, 2015, all hospitals were required to submit a GBR Investment Report to HSCRC on the amounts and types of investments they have made and will make to improve population health, and how effective these investments are in reducing potentially avoidable utilization and improving population health. This report will be required annually.
*** FY2016 Updated GBR Infrastructure Reporting Template *** Regional Planning Grantee Reports - In accordance with the provisions of the State Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act of 2014 (BRFA), the Commission increased rates in FY 2015 to provide up to $15 million for the purpose of funding the planning of regional partnerships throughout the State; and statewide infrastructure to support care management, coordination, and planning. In preparation for this funding, in February 2015, DHMH and HSCRC released an RFP to all hospitals offering funding to support the planning and development of Regional Partnerships for Health System Transformation. A portion of the BRFA funding ($2.5 million) was awarded to hospitals who applied for the funding to support regional planning and development initiatives with key community partners. A multi-stakeholder review committee selected 8 of 11 proposals; funding ranged from $200,000 to $400,000. Those grantees submitted a final Regional Transformation Plan to DHMH and HSCRC on December 7, 2015. Hospital Strategic Transformation Plans – In June 2015, the Commission also approved a recommendation that required all hospitals to submit multi-year strategic plans for improving care coordination, chronic care, and provider alignment. These plans were received on December 7, 2015. The strategic plans draw from the other required reports and demonstrate how strategies are aligned. All hospitals were required to submit their own strategic plan; however, in areas where hospitals are working with one another through a Regional Partnership or other collaborations, they were required to reference their Regional Partnership Transformation Plan. |
