September 15, 2023
Missouri’s Own Washington County’s Integrated Health Model Receives Top National Award
The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) announced that the Washington County Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) Network in Potosi, Mo., was awarded the top prize of $150,000 in the nationwide program, “Building Bridges to Better Health: A Primary Health Care Challenge.” This is not only a win for the Washington County MIH Network and other networks in Missouri, but for all Missourians challenged with accessing traditional “brick and mortar” healthcare.
This challenge began in 2022, and activated and accelerated the development and testing of low-cost, scalable technical assistance solutions. Participating organizations’ solutions yielded resources that HRSA-supported health centers across the country can use or scale to improve health outcomes for their patients. A focus of the Challenge was to address key drivers of poor health and social determinants of health (SDOH) that contribute to poor health outcomes. Solutions resulting from the Challenge will support health centers to enhance access to primary care and to improve care coordination with other local providers and social service organizations to address SDOH.
Challenge winner, Washington County Mobile Integrated Healthcare Network, is the first mobile integrated care model in the country that is a primary partnership with an Emergency Medical Services agency (Washington County Ambulance District) and a federally qualified health center (Great Mines Health Center). The third partner is Community Asset Builders, a resource development and support company who strives to support systems of care. The “MIHN” model is now being replicated in several counties across Missouri and the mid-west region.
This challenge aligns with HRSA’s Advancing Health Center Excellence Framework, which aims to help advance health center performance and innovation, and specifically connects to the key domain of Population Health and Social Determinants of Health.
Key Impacts & Results of the Washington County Mobile Integrated Healthcare Network
- Achieved a 50% reduction in costs, demonstrated through captured Medicaid and Medicare savings data by the Washington County MIH Network.
- Improved clinical measures, including higher rates of preventive screenings and better managed blood pressure, compared to health center patients who did not participate in the MIH Network.
- In Washington County, MO, a food distribution service provided food to 1,794 households (4,729 individuals).
- In Washington County, Community Health Workers and Community Paramedics are now co-located at the health center and have daily huddles to improve care coordination and service delivery.
- 100% patient satisfaction in Washington County.
For more information about the Building Bridges to Better Health: A Primary Health Care Challenge, visit Challenge.gov.