What You Should Know:
– WVU Medicine announced a new partnership with Interwell Health to focus on improving care for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in West Virginia.
– The strategic partnership aims to leverage population health approaches and cutting-edge technology to deliver better outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
Addressing West Virginia’s CKD Crisis
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), West Virginia has the highest mortality rate for CKD patients in the nation. Interwell partners with physicians and healthcare providers to implement a population health approach to kidney care. This approach focuses on managing the health of an entire patient population, not just individual cases. This partnership will see WVU Medicine nephrologists join Interwell’s network and leverage their expertise in value-based care.
Benefits for WVU Medicine and Patients
This partnership offers significant advantages for both WVU Medicine and its patients:
– Improved patient outcomes: By focusing on preventative measures and early intervention, WVU Medicine can slow disease progression and improve the overall health of CKD patients.
– Reduced healthcare costs: Interwell’s value-based care model emphasizes proactive care management, potentially leading to fewer hospitalizations and lower overall healthcare costs.
– Data-driven decision making: Utilizing data analytics and machine learning, WVU Medicine can personalize treatment plans and optimize care delivery for CKD patients.
– Collaboration and Best Practices: WVU Medicine gains access to Interwell’s national network of nephrologists, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing to improve care for West Virginia residents.
“This partnership with Interwell opens the door to better care for our patients,” Rebecca Schmidt, D.O., WVU Medicine nephrologist said. “By approaching kidney disease from a population health perspective, we can use machine learning and other technologies to examine the progression of disease and use that data to implement more effective treatment plans. We understand that progress cannot happen in a vacuum, and Interwell presents the opportunity to collaborate with others on best practices and use this collaboration to help better the lives of West Virginia patients with kidney disease.”
