Waymark

We’re excited to announce the newest addition to the Waymark leadership team: Daniel Frascella has joined Waymark as Head of Finance. Dan brings deep expertise in scaling innovative care delivery and payment models for underserved populations, and we’re grateful to have him on the team! In his words: “It’s an honor to be able to help Waymark’s founders build a sustainable business model that supports their unique care delivery model. The depth of talent and intellectual rigor of everyone within the company is incredible.“ Today on the blog, Dan shares his passion for Waymark’s business and his vision for the future of equitable care for patients receiving Medicaid. Read more here ▶️ https://wymrk.co/3BG9Lzi

“I told Bracie I didn’t think she’d be able to help me. But the first thing she said was, ‘Well, we can do our meetings online by video.’ I’d never heard that before. So I thought, ‘Oh! This is going to work!’.”   When she first connected with Waymark, Snohomish County, WA resident Kim was struggling to manage a myriad of specialist appointments, coordinate transportation, and access stable housing options. During her first meeting with Waymark Community Health Worker Bracie Vose, they were able to begin charting a path forward toward arranging rides to doctor’s appointments, modifying appointments for accessibility, and getting applications for housing vouchers started – all of which gave Kim something she hadn’t felt in years: hope.   “Now I know who to call for transportation, we’re waiting to hear back on housing applications, and I feel like I know how to access resources I didn’t know how to before. I’m in such a better place now compared to where I was a few months ago.”   Read Kim’s story here: https://wymrk.co/4gjpkvH

Our recent study published in AJMC - The American Journal of Managed Care found that nearly 40% of hospital and ED admissions among Medicaid patients could be avoided through timely access to primary care. New AI/ML technologies can identify these visits ahead of time with >90% accuracy. 𝗦𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀? In a new piece for STAT, our VP of Data Science and AI Sadiq Y. Patel examines barriers to AI/ML adoption in Medicaid and lays out potential solutions to address these challenges — including actively seeking input from patients and the people who serve them: PCPs, community health workers, pharmacists, therapists, care coordinators, and community organizations.  “By conducting user research and integrating feedback from patients and care workers, data science tools can be designed to meet the specific needs of people who have been historically excluded from the technology development process, enhancing the effectiveness and acceptance of these technologies,” he writes. “This participatory approach ensures that AI solutions are not only technologically advanced but also practically applicable and personally tailored, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for Medicaid recipients.” Read the full article below ⬇️ or at https://wymrk.co/4gClRIr

We’re excited to share the launch of ✨Transforming Medicaid ✨, a monthly social series where we’ll dive into the data, stories, and evidence base to improve Medicaid and – by extension – access and equity across the healthcare system. This series is inspired by the book “Transforming Medicaid: A Blueprint for Equitable Care,” written by our co-founder Sanjay Basu. In our first post, we cover Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act has ensured that over 45 million people receive health insurance coverage, but there is more work to be done. As we look ahead to the next four years and the potential changes to Medicaid they may bring, there emerge opportunities to reimagine opportunities within Medicaid by: ➡️ Reimagining the federal-state partnership, with federal entities playing a more robust role in setting standards and providing stable funding to alleviate cyclical state budgetary concerns while allowing local innovation. ➡️ Leaning into Medicaid’s role in addressing social determinants of health and moving beyond pilot programs to systematically integrated social services. ➡️ Investing in integrated data infrastructure to drive evidence-based improvements to Medicaid programs while holding the system accountable for outcomes that matter.   This path forward is ambitious, but these changes must be embraced in service to a commitment to a healthier, more equitable system for all Americans. Read more about Medicaid expansion under the ACA here: https://wymrk.co/3VBwh2V, and be sure to follow our pages for more updates! 

Come work with us!

The incoming presidential administration is likely to implement significant changes to Medicaid. As policymakers, managed care organizations and providers navigate these changes, one thing is certain: helping patients access primary preventive care will remain a critical priority for Medicaid programs across the country. To prepare for potential changes, our co-founder and Head of Clinical Sanjay Basu developed a helpful primer on what to expect and how Waymark can help Medicaid programs and their patients in an evolving landscape. Read the summary here 👉 https://wymrk.co/3ZAoCU2

This week, our team attended the Florida Association of Health Plans annual conference — an event that brings together leaders in managed care, community partners, elected officials and regulators to share best practices for improving health outcomes for Florida's health plan members. Our very own Sara Greenbaum presented key findings from our recent study in NEJM Catalyst demonstrating 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹/𝗘𝗗 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟯%. The presentation highlighted our three-pronged approach to supporting this population: ✅ Advanced technology to identify and target rising-risk Medicaid members with >90% accuracy ✅ Multidisciplinary, community-based care teams to engage and connect rising-risk members with primary care ✅ Robust "wraparound" support for primary care providers to expand their capacity and reduce admin burden. Each of these components plays a crucial role in creating a more effective and equitable care delivery system for Medicaid members. Thanks to the FAHP team for the opportunity to share more about our approach and hosting a great event! 🙌

Each year, Waymarkers nominate their colleagues for our Core Value Awards – our internal awards intended to recognize those who go above and beyond in four different ways: 💡We act with focused urgency. 💡We are bold builders. 💡We are humble learners. 💡We experiment to improve. Congratulations to this year’s winners: Rachel Andrus, Ethan Hume, Daisy Clay, CPhT and Amy Tingle! Read more about their accomplishments and hear what these awards mean to them here: https://wymrk.co/3CWj921

In our latest blog post, we sat down with Aaron Baum, Hannah Ratcliffe, and Margalit D. to discuss findings from our recent peer-reviewed study in NEJM Catalyst. They summarized key takeaways that answer a critical question from the study: What can Medicaid programs learn from Waymark’s approach to improving outcomes and reducing costs? Read the full explainer here ⏩ https://wymrk.co/3CTQWJc

ICYMI: Waymark’s Head of Care Operations Sara Greenbaum and VP of Care Model & Quality Hannah Ratcliffe joined Rik Renard and CareOps to share insights on building impactful care models that scale with patient and provider needs.   Some key takeaways:   1️⃣ Leverage strategic, data-driven processes to define the most precise patient engagement models possible 2️⃣ Prime care teams for collaboration by ensuring a multidisciplinary approach to training and onboardings 3️⃣ Build trust between patients and care team members by meeting them in their communities and prioritizing the specific patient issues they identify as a top priority   If you’re a Medicaid program looking for ways to reach and engage your Medicaid members before their needs become acute, be sure to watch the recording below👇 or drop us a line.   https://wymrk.co/495iKpQ