A $120 million reinvestment program referred to as the CHART program in Massachusetts funded by large health systems and commercial insurers is making phased investments to certain community hospitals that are non-profit, non-teaching, and located in the Commonwealth.
In late October 2014, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission awarded $60 million through Phase 2 of the CHART program to 28 community hospitals to improve community-oriented care for patients with complex social and medical needs. An investment of $30 million is to be used to increase access to high quality behavioral health services.
The CHART Phase 2 projects range from creating multidisciplinary care teams, incorporating telehealth services, to developing patient-centered medical neighborhoods with integrated physical and behavioral health services.
In a joint venture, Southcoast Health-Charlton Memorial Hospital, Tobey Hospital, and St Luke’s Hospital received $8,000,000 to find ways to reduce medical expenditures using population health management approaches to help with chronic and acute diseases including behavioral health
Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton received an award for $2,000,000 to expand telepsychiatry capabilities and to use advanced analytics and tools to better assess and care for behavioral health patients. In another joint venture Baystate Health-Franklin Medical Center, Mary Lane Hospital, and Wing Memorial Hospital received $900,000 to support telehealth services across the system.
Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital received $3,500,000 to support a high risk care team and to use data analytics and lean methodology to reduce readmissions and to improve inpatient safety.
The projects to integrate technologies were awarded to Noble Hospital for $1,200,000, Emerson Hospital for $1,200,000, Baystate Health-Wing Memorial Hospital for $1,000,000, and Lahey Health-Winchester Hospital for $1,000,000.
Go to www.mass.gov/anf/budget-taxes-and-procurement/oversight-agencies/health-policy-commission/hpc-releases-60m-to-ma-community-hospitals.hml for more information.