Humana Healthcare Research Team Presents Care Delivery Studies at 2023 AcademyHealth Meeting

As part of our mission to conduct and share high-quality scientific research surrounding improved quality of care, better health outcomes and more affordable care, Humana Healthcare Research presented results from six studies at the 2023 AcademyHealth Annual Research Meeting held June 23-27, 2023, in Seattle, Wa. This annual meeting convenes more than 3,000 scientists, clinicians, and policymakers to share innovative research to advance health policy, support patient care, and build a more equitable healthcare system.

Studies presented by Humana Healthcare Research focused primarily on benefits of value-based care, innovations in care delivery for seniors, and on understanding complex needs of vulnerable populations.

“The current health system is costly, fragmented, complex, and poorly positioned to meet the needs of the population, focusing on episodic care instead of holistic, integrated care,” said Kate Goodrich, MD, Humana’s Chief Medical Officer. “There is an urgent need for solutions that drive towards a more successful and sustainable system. Value-based health care focuses on treating the whole person – not only caring for physical and mental health, but also addressing social and environmental factors that affect health. This approach improves patient outcomes, lowers costs, and boosts patient and clinician satisfaction.”

Senior-focused primary care clinics, like CenterWell Senior Primary Care, tailor their services to older adults and practice value-based care by offering patients access to on-site teams of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, behavioral health specialists and referral specialists who provide a wide range of extended services focused on caring for seniors’ particular needs.

More preventative care and fewer hospitalizations
Kaylyn Swankoski, PhD presented results from a recent study showing that patients who received care at senior-focused primary care clinics, like CenterWell’s, had 21% more visits with their primary care provider over the course of a year and had 8% fewer hospitalizations compared to patients who use traditional primary care clinics.

In addition, many CenterWell Senior Primary Care centers are located in underserved areas and work to remove barriers to care by making clinic visits convenient, one-stop experiences for the senior patient, and by offering resources for transportation, financial assistance, nutrition and housing needs to focus on patients’ overall health and well-being.

Same quality of care with reduced cost for outpatient surgeries
In partnership with University of Pennsylvania, Humana researchers conducted one of the first analyses of a bundled payment program offered by a Medicare Advantage plan for beneficiaries who received knee or hip joint replacement surgery.

Mandi Sutherland, PhD, presented results on behalf of the Humana team, showcasing that the bundled payment program was associated with a significant shift from inpatient to outpatient procedures, allowing for patients to go home earlier. Key results also included a 19% reduction in skill nursing facility admission post-surgical discharge, implying less need for intensive recovery services, and 2.7% reduction in total cost of care while maintaining quality of patient care.

This study helps to demonstrate that innovative payment designs are beneficial to both patients and their providers. Humana continues to expand its partnerships with physician practices to support evidence-based innovative payment models across more types of surgeries.