The health system's three-year partnership with Emcara Health combines the latter's primary care model with Adventist Health clinical delivery resources.
Emcara Health, a national value-based medical group providing advanced in-home primary care for seniors and vulnerable populations, is teaming up with California-based Adventist Health to extend care into high-risk communities across California, focusing on Medi-Cal patients.
The three-year partnership is intended to close care gaps for patients with the most complex care needs by addressing social barriers, such as homelessness, that influence a patient’s health. The partnership comprises part of the broader Enhanced Care Management initiative of CalAIM, a multi-year initiative of the California Department of Health Care Services, which operates Medi-Cal.
“This innovative care delivery model reflects our deep commitment to improving the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of our community,” Shelly Trumbo, vice president of well-being at Adventist Health, said in a press release. “Emcara Health’s decade long focus on delivering community-based care to vulnerable populations, highly experienced multi-disciplinary care teams and nimble approach to non-traditional healthcare delivery made them the right partner to successfully realize the goals of the CalAIM initiative.”
As part of the partnership, Emcara Health will deploy field-based care teams, consisting chiefly of community health workers (CHW), to meet patients on their terms, whether at home, in a homeless encampment, or in the emergency department.
CHWs, once engaged, will conduct a social determinants of health assessment to understand the social impediments that may be impacting the patient’s health, such as access to food, stress, or transportation.
As a component of the agreement, Emcara Health nurses and social workers will be connecting and coordinating preventive care and clinical treatment through Adventist Health's California network.
Emcara Health will provide wraparound support, including transitions of care, member and family assistance, and coordinating and referring patients to community and social support services.
“Adventist Health is a proven delivery system leader that embodies deep trust in the communities it serves,” Eric Galvin, chief executive of Emcara Health, said in the press release. “By working together with California residents who are most in need, this partnership has the ability to serve as a model for managed Medicaid plans and risk-bearing provider groups looking to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations around the country.”
Emcara Health is a line of business of PopHealthCare, a company operated by Florida-based health insurer GuideWell.
Scott Mace is a contributing writer for HealthLeaders.