Certification validates Healthify’s commitment to protecting sensitive healthcare information

Healthify is excited and proud to announce that our platform is officially HITRUST CSF certified. The HITRUST CSF certification is the most widely recognized security accreditation in the healthcare industry.

Challenges healthcare organizations must face to develop strategies to achieve success in a value-based world

In recent years, we have seen significant shifts in the way we manage health in the U.S. As reimbursement models transition away from fee-for-service to value-based, there has been an increased focus on innovative models of care that integrate non-medical health factors such as food, housing, and transportation. These factors are often referred to as the social determinants of health (SDoH) and can account for up to 60% of our health. According to a 2017 report by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, 88% of hospitals are now screening for social needs. Also, the most recent Change Healthcare Annual Industry Pulse Report reveals that more than 80% of payers are already taking steps to promote value-based healthcare by addressing the social needs of their members.

Two New Enhancements to the Healthify Platform

As the U.S. healthcare industry continues maturing value-based care models, the social determinants of health (SDoH) is becoming a major focus for top healthcare organizations. Healthcare organizations and community partners are beginning to develop frameworks and workflows that effectively address unmet social needs. According to a recent survey completed by Change Healthcare and the HealthCare Executive Group (HCEG), more than 80% of health insurers are working to address the Social Determinants of Health in their member programs.

Can supportive housing programs help lower costs and improve health outcomes?

Over the past 15 years, research has revealed a consistent link between housing and health. A lack of stable, affordable and adequate housing can have severe implications for a patient’s health. Substandard living conditions influence many of the most serious chronic health problems. Housing that is safe, clean and adequately maintained can reduce the likelihood of adverse health outcomes by decreasing the probability of preventable conditions like injuries, neurotoxicity or asthma and it can also reduce the costs associated with care.

How identifying and addressing SDoH can reduce rising healthcare costs and improve quality of care 

Over the last 50 years, health expenditure growth has more than doubled and continues to rise rapidly, while rates of chronic diseases also continue to increase. According to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, health spending is projected to rise by 5.5% this year and will continue to rise over the next decade. The rise marks a sharp increase from last year’s spending, which is estimated to have been around 4.6%, almost $3.5 trillion. The increase in healthcare expenditures can be attributed to several factors including rising costs associated with medical goods and services, shifts in income growth, Medicaid and Medicare.

Minimizing the Dangers and Costs of Fragmentation In Care with Coordinated Care Models

Patient Story: Mrs. F

Mrs. F is a 60-year-old woman with diabetes and severe osteoporosis. She spends most of her time bedridden, uses a walking frame to walk, and has moderate memory problems. Her PCP prescribes her multiple medications but she also sees several specialists who are not affiliated with her PCP.

Over the last 25 years, research has shown that social determinants of health have powerful effects on health outcomes, particularly food insecurity. Those who are food-insecure lack access to affordable and healthy foods, which has adverse effects on health and development. Maintaining a healthy diet becomes a subsidiary concern when there are multiple unmet social needs to address but social service programs offered by community partners can help address those unmet needs.

Compared to other wealthy countries, the United States has some unusual healthcare spending habits. Other developed nations like Germany, France, and the UK spend nearly twice as much on social services as they do on healthcare but in the United States, we spend almost twice as much on healthcare as we do on social services. However, there’s a growing consensus that social and behavioral factors determine over 60% of health outcomes and are better understood as intersectional health issues. There’s also significant evidence that shows that higher spending on social services addresses health outcomes more effectively than investing in healthcare alone. It’s clear that our priorities are misplaced.

At Healthify, our software engineers collectively represent 52 years of programming experience, which is a detail not that interesting on its own. All of us learned how to code and at some point in time we each started doing it for money. Duh. We didn’t, however, all go about doing this in quite the same way. As a matter of fact, we have an eclectic mix of educational backgrounds in our department and those details are fascinating.