New rural health program directs resources to rural communities to improve social care outcomes
Citizens Memorial Hospital along with Salem Memorial District Hospital, Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare, Bothwell Regional Health Center, Phelps Health, and Ray County Hospital announced Jan. 16 a partnership with the Missouri HealthNet Division, which administers Missouri's Medicaid program, and Unite Us, the nation’s leading software company, enabling cross-sector collaboration to improve people’s health and well-being.
This collaboration will enhance the rollout of the Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) program, a new model of care that will transform existing social care funding and create a new path for rural hospitals to improve clinical outcomes within the Medicaid population. The program will also address critical social care challenges that comprise individuals’ ability to maintain their health and effectively manage chronic conditions.
The ToRCH program is a groundbreaking initiative that empowers rural communities to address healthcare-related social needs among their Medicaid populations, with a laser focus on driving better health outcomes. One of the key cornerstones of the program is the Unite Us Platform. This secure and reliable digital solution enables participating organizations to send and receive electronic referrals while tackling Medicaid participants' social needs.
Through Unite Us’ Social Care Payments solution, partners can manage eligibility and authorization, send referrals to contracted providers, securely track outcomes and document services, generate invoices, and efficiently manage reimbursement of social care services.
“We’re witnessing healthcare systems recognize the power community organizations have to improve health outcomes and address health equity in a way clinical care alone can’t,” said Bobbie Bohnsack, director of customer success at Unite Us. “Our collaboration with Missouri Healthnet Division to enhance the rollout of the ToRCH program through Unite Us Payments solution will streamline the implementation and management of paid social care programs for healthcare funders, including health plans and managed-care organizations.”
The ToRCH Program and Unite Us will holistically address drivers of health (SDoH) by screening for health-related social needs (HRSN) and connecting Medicaid recipients with select community-based organizations funded to provide social services. By addressing the social needs of Medicaid recipients, ToRCH aims to improve population health outcomes and achieve cost savings.
“We are thrilled to partner with Unite Us on the rollout of the ToRCH program to establish community hubs that serve as regional leads to direct strategy and coordinate efforts of healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and social service agencies within a designated rural community,” said Kirk Mathews, chief transformation officer at Missouri HealthNet Division.
Nonprofits, community-based organizations, and other providers who want to connect clients and patients to services of the ToRCH program within Unite Us’ network can reach out to uniteus.com/contact/.
About Missouri HealthNet
Missouri HealthNet is a division of the Missouri Department of Social Services and offers Medicaid health care coverage for eligible Missourians. Missouri HealthNet’s vision is: Together we will build a best-in-class Medicaid program that addresses the needs of Missouri’s most-vulnerable in a way that is financially sustainable.
About Unite Us
Unite Us is the nation’s leading software company enabling collaboration across sectors to improve the health and well-being of communities. Unite Us’ secure solution establishes a new standard of care that identifies and predicts social care needs, helps connect people to services, and leverages meaningful outcomes data to further drive community investment. Through Unite Us’ national network and software, community-based organizations, government agencies, health plans, and healthcare providers are all connected to better collaborate and meet the needs of the individuals in their communities. Follow Unite Us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.