The Health Collaborative

The Health Collaborative
Name	The Health Collaborative
Type	Nonprofit consortium
Founded	2006
Headquarters	Cincinnati, Ohio
Region served	United States
Fields	Healthcare quality, Patient safety, Health information technology

The Health Collaborative is a nonprofit consortium based in Cincinnati focused on healthcare quality improvement, patient safety, and health information exchange. Founded by regional hospitals and health systems, it brings together stakeholders from clinical, policy, and technology sectors to implement collaborative interventions, pilot innovations, and measure outcomes. The organization operates programs spanning population health, data analytics, and care coordination while engaging partners from academia, government, and the private sector.

History

The Health Collaborative was established in 2006 through a partnership of regional hospital systems including Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, The Christ Hospital, TriHealth, and Mercy Health (Ohio and Kentucky). Early initiatives aligned with national movements such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's campaigns, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demonstration projects, and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology programs. In its first decade the organization launched health information exchange pilots influenced by standards developed by Health Level Seven International and coordinated with statewide efforts like Ohio Department of Health initiatives. Expansion included collaborations with academic institutions such as University of Cincinnati and Case Western Reserve University, and participation in consortia including CommonWell Health Alliance and Sequoia Project efforts. Major milestones paralleled broader events such as the enactment of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act and the rollout of Affordable Care Act payment reforms.

Mission and Objectives

The Health Collaborative's mission centers on improving quality and safety across clinical settings while enabling data-driven population health, aligning with objectives advocated by National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission. Primary objectives include advancing electronic health record interoperability endorsed by Epic Systems Corporation and Cerner Corporation customers, reducing hospital-acquired conditions highlighted by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and supporting value-based care models promoted by Accountable Care Organization frameworks such as those used by Medicare Shared Savings Program. The organization also aims to support workforce development initiatives consistent with programs from Association of American Medical Colleges and American Nurses Association.

Programs and Services

Programs include a regional health information exchange platform that integrates data from providers like Molina Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente, and independent physician groups; care coordination services modeled on Project RED and Transitional Care Model; and quality collaboratives similar to Surgical Care Improvement Project networks. Services encompass analytics dashboards using tools from IBM Watson Health and collaborations with vendors such as Health Catalyst and Allscripts. Other offerings include patient engagement campaigns inspired by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outreach, telehealth initiatives leveraging platforms like Teladoc Health, and workforce training programs developed with Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Yale School of Medicine faculty. The Collaborative has also run disease-specific projects addressing conditions prioritized by American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and National Cancer Institute.

Governance and Leadership

The organization is governed by a board comprising executives from member organizations such as Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, UC Health, and TriHealth, alongside community leaders from entities like Greater Cincinnati Health Council and philanthropy partners such as HealthPath Foundation of Ohio. Executive leadership has included chief executives with backgrounds in systems like Mayo Clinic and policy advisors formerly associated with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Clinical steering committees have included faculty appointments from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and advisory input from experts affiliated with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The Health Collaborative maintains partnerships with federal agencies including Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, and regional entities such as Ohio Department of Health and Hamilton County Public Health. Academic partnerships include University of Cincinnati, Case Western Reserve University, and University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Industry collaborations span Epic Systems Corporation, Cerner Corporation (now part of Oracle Corporation), Allscripts, Health Catalyst, and Meditech. It participates in national networks and initiatives with CommonWell Health Alliance, Sequoia Project, National Quality Forum, and Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and engages payers such as Humana, UnitedHealth Group, Anthem (health insurance company), and Cigna.

Funding and Financial Structure

Funding streams combine membership dues from health systems including Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and UC Health, grants from foundations like Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Kresge Foundation, and contracts with federal programs administered by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Fee-for-service arrangements with vendors and fee-for-project agreements with payers such as Humana and UnitedHealth Group supplement grant revenue. Capital projects have drawn philanthropic support from entities like HealthPath Foundation of Ohio and state appropriations through Ohio Department of Health awards. Financial oversight follows nonprofit governance practices recommended by National Council of Nonprofits and auditing standards aligned with Government Accountability Office principles when federal funds are involved.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluation of impact has used measures endorsed by National Quality Forum and analytic methods from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, showing improvements in metrics like readmission rates tracked by Medicare claims and reductions in hospital-acquired infections monitored by The Joint Commission reporting. Published findings and presentations have appeared at conferences such as Health Information Management Systems Society and in collaborations with academic journals affiliated with American Medical Association and New England Journal of Medicine contributors. Ongoing evaluations employ randomized designs and quality improvement methodologies popularized by Institute for Healthcare Improvement and methodological guidance from CONSORT and STROBE reporting standards.

Category:Health organizations based in Ohio