Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) in Raleigh is the winner of the inaugural Hearst Health Prize, a $100,000 award given in recognition of outstanding achievement in managing or improving health. The announcement was made March 8, 2016 by Gregory Dorn, MD, MPH, president of Hearst Health and David B. Nash, MD, MBA, dean of the Jefferson College of Population Health, at the 16th annual Population Health Colloquium in Philadelphia.
Community Care of North Carolina is recognized for its model for managing transitional care for North Carolina Medicaid beneficiaries discharged home after hospitalization. The program is delivered to 2,600 Medicaid recipients a month, with a strong focus on identifying individuals with chronic medical conditions at risk for hospitalization or readmission. Program participants receive medication management, education for condition self-management and timely outpatient communication with the medical home to follow up on clinical and social issues that can affect their health outcomes, such as medication confusion, behavioral health or substance abuse issues, transportation or cost barriers, low health literacy, and social isolation.
The statewide program achieved measurable improvements. The rates of hospitalization and readmission for the target population have declined by 10% and 16%, respectively, since 2008. Total Medicaid costs were reduced by 9% (cited by the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor). The program also established real-time data connections with 87 hospitals, representing 78% of all Medicaid hospitalizations in the state.
“We are delighted that Community Care of North Carolina has been awarded the first-ever Hearst Health Prize for its transitional care management program that improves clinical outcomes for Medicaid beneficiaries and lowers costs in a healthcare system that serves 1.4 million people,” Dorn said. “Community Care of North Carolina’s program is highly scalable and replicable and it is our hope that the Hearst Health Prize provides a new national forum to share these practices with other programs to improve the health of vulnerable populations.”
Community Care of North Carolina earned the highest overall score for the following criteria established for the Hearst Health Prize: the program’s population health impact or outcome, demonstrated by measurable improvement; use of evidence-based interventions and best practices to improve the quality of care; scalability and sustainability; promotion of engagement, collaboration and communication; and innovation. The evaluation was made by a distinguished panel of judges.