State Innovation Model

Wednesday, November 01, 2017 12:30 PM

Applications open for SIM cohort 3 Nov. 15-Jan. 10

by Heather Grimshaw, Communications Manager, SIM

The Colorado State Innovation Model (SIM), a governor’s office initiative funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, releases its final practice application Nov. 15: http://bit.ly/2yNCSxT. The application will be open through Jan. 10, 2018.

SIM will help 400 practices (20 percent of primary care practices) integrate behavioral and physical health and test alternative payment models (APMs) by July 2019. A few successes to date:

• Increased mental health screenings: SIM practices screened 130,336 eligible patients for depression; followed up on positive results.
• SIM providers reported decreased burnout.
• SIM providers improved their ability to report and gained confidence in clinical quality measure (CQMs) data that helps providers articulate a unique value and negotiate with health plans. In the second quarter of 2017, 100 percent of SIM practices reported on at least one CQM.
• SIM created a new workforce – 21 regional health connectors identify community resources to help improve patient health, and avoid duplication of efforts.
• Improved integration: 42 percent of SIM practices moved to a higher level of integration: http://bit.ly/2ijUWai.
• SIM aligned measures across state and national initiatives to reduce provider burden: https://goo.gl/wcJiYm.
• SIM funded “Let’s Talk Colorado,” a bilingual media campaign to address mental health stigma.

“It feels better to be able to take care of the whole patient,” says Glenn Madrid, MD, a cohort-1 practice representative, who talks about his practice’s journey to provide integrated care in a SIM video: http://bit.ly/2xRKv3X.

Apply for the last SIM cohort before Jan. 10 for valuable coaching and support to integrate care and test APMs: http://bit.ly/2yNCSxT.