The Capital Care Collaborative

I have said time and again that what we have today is not really a system due in large part to the lack of communication and coordination among various providers. However, there are examples where coordination is happening and solutions are working. One example of these solutions can be found right in WakeMed’s backyard.  In 2006, the Wake County Medical Society, along with WakeMed and other health care providers to the uninsured, worked together to create the Capital Care Collaborative. The Collaborative offers uninsured patients better, more efficient medical care while maximizing limited health care resources that serve this population.

The Capital Care Collaborative is a network of eight health care providers, including WakeMed, Rex Healthcare, Duke Health Raleigh Hospital, Urban Ministries, Wake Health Services, Alliance Medical Ministry and Wake County Human Services, who provide the bulk of medical care for the uninsured in Wake County.  Together, we are working to improve patient care and reduce medical expenses by improving the coordination of care and reducing duplication of services.

One of the program’s key elements is a technology initiative that allows WakeMed and other safety-net providers to quickly determine if patients qualify for Medicaid or other charity care programs.  Between 30–40% of these patients do qualify for assistance and we help them register for the appropriate coverage.

Even more exciting is a new electronic health record program that enables providers to capture and share information regarding a patient’s prior medical history.  This shared clinical data repository will allow all members of the collaborative to share patient encounter, pharmacy, diagnostic and other data electronically through interfaces being built with each of our partner organizations and by utilizing a common patient authorization form.

This will ensure that whoever treats the patient – whether it is WakeMed or another member of the collaborative – can better manage chronic diseases and give the patient the care they need.  The system is scheduled to go online later this year and promises to significantly reduce costs by helping us avoid duplicate tests and other unnecessary procedures.

Our efforts to retool the national health care system must learn from community projects like this and many others that are working well across the country. We must identify the best way to expand successful programs to every patient – insured or uninsured on a national level.