Diffusing Innovation: A Case Study of Care Management in Louisiana

Aledade, a health company that works with independent primary care practices to operate accountable care organizations (ACOs), currently helps 287 primary care practices in 17 states look after more than a million patients. Their mission is to find more and better ways to diffuse innovation, including determining sustainable financial models, adapting local environments to partnerships, standardizing trainings, and improving technologies.

Aledade’s work with Louisiana ACOs is just one example of the company’s adoption of optimal chronic care management across partnerships with healthcare practices.

Aledade started by looking at one already-successful Louisiana ACO: the Lafayette International Medicine Clinic (LIMC). Some examples of LIMC’s successes include:

— The adoption of a model focusing on patient relationships and trust

— Chronic care managers who are also nurses putting into practice important skills such as integrity and a commitment to patient care

— A focus on the whole patient, including their social needs and home environment as well as clinical issues

— Care managers who work to educate patients on their conditions

Looking at these already-ingrained practices, Aledade then charted a path toward improving offerings for other ACOs in the area, including reaching out to local practices via board meetings and providing for the specific needs of each organization. Supported by LIMC, Aledade offered both in-person and virtual trainings on chronic care management requirements, effective workflow, and supporting high-risk patients.

Additionally, Aledade’s Bethesda-based team created a virtual group training forum to help spread ideas and tools.

Throughout this planning and implementation, Aledade staff learned that the dissemination of innovation requires a team of dedicated individuals, particularly early adopters who are keen to help.

Read more about Aledade’s Louisiana case study here.