David Y. Ige

Hawai’i State Innovation Model Overview

Since 2012, the Health Care Innovation Office (HCIO) in the Governor’s Office has been convening stakeholders to identify the strengths and challenges in our system and develop strategies to develop a State Health Care Innovation Plan (SHIP). The SHIP must address all aspects of the “Triple Aim” of better health, better health care, and lower costs as well as an additional aim, “+1” to address health disparities.

HCIO first secured a planning grant from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) in 2013 that focused on state planning for broad scale improvement. During the 2013 planning process, we convened more than 100 stakeholders and analyzed data from our health system which led us to a second State Innovation Model (SIM) planning grant awarded in February 2015 that will focus on:

Children and adult Medicaid recipients with mild to moderate behavioral health care needs, often with co-morbidities (such as diabetes, obesity, and tobacco use), who receive services provided in the primary care setting (or should be engaged in primary care).

Additionally, Hawai’i is going to focus on improving oral health and access to preventive care for children and adults on Medicaid.

From data analyzed in 2013, we found that co-morbid behavioral and physical health issues are driving poor health outcomes and are associated with higher rates in avoidable/preventable hospitalizations, readmissions, and emergency department use. Oral healthcare for adults is also an issue as the State lags in preventive care and dental benefits, other than emergency care, are not included in the State’s adult Medicaid coverage. We believe the return on investment for better management of these conditions is significant for both providers and patients.

Innovation Approach and Structure

Hawai’i is committed to designing the State Health Care Innovation Plan based on input from a wide range of stakeholders. Our work to address our priorities requires attention to population health, delivery and payment, care coordination and linkage, workforce, health information technology, and policy levers.

Our approach includes stakeholder engagement through committee meetings, focus group discussions, and state-wide community conversations. Our committee structure includes public and private sector participants that make up a total of six committees: 1) Delivery and Payment, 2) Population Health, 3) Health Information Technology, 4) Workforce, 5) Oral Health and 6) the Steering Committee, which provides overall guidance and ensures coordination among the committees.

Stakeholders represent community and professional experts in the health care and behavioral health continuum, academic researchers and community programs, health care providers, state agency staff, and advocates that provide guidance, leadership, and expertise on health care innovation initiatives.

Stakeholders may visit our Committees Information page for meeting-related information and materials. Visit Reports and Resources for the 2014 State of Hawai’i Healthcare Innovation Plan as well as other health innovation resources.

For suggestions and questions regarding the Hawai’i SIM Project, please email: [email protected].