As Accountable Care Organizations Proliferate, Massachusetts Hospital Association - The Geneia Institute to Train Care Coordinators to Help ACOs Succeed

BOSTON, Sept. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA), The Geneia Institute and Villanova University College of Nursing jointly announce an innovative, 10-week program to train nurses and social workers to become effective care coordinators within accountable care organizations. 

"As a leader in the movement to improve healthcare quality and cost, Massachusetts has one of the highest concentrations of accountable care organizations in the country.  We know that care coordinators – clinicians who work closely with patients and their healthcare team to close gaps in care -- are one of the critical success factors for ACOs, and that's why the Massachusetts Hospital Association is leading the way by offering this ground-breaking program," said Lynn Nicholas, MHA's President & CEO.

MHA's unique 10-week program, "Coordinating Care in a Fragmented System," will provide clinicians with expert training and the skills to help their organizations move successfully towards accountable care.   The program, which begins on September 24^th and combines in-person and online learning, will teach clinicians how to effectively manage populations to improve health outcomes and patient satisfaction, while also reducing costs.

The Geneia Institute and Villanova University College of Nursing will co-provide the program.  The Geneia Institute is a flagship program of Geneia, a national healthcare innovations company specializing in the development and deployment of clinical, technical and analytic solutions for healthcare.  Villanova University is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Commission on Accreditation.

"Nationally, we have seen the number of accountable care organizations double to nearly 500 in the past year," said Heather Lavoie, President of Geneia.  "That's why The Geneia Institute created a state-of-the-art course to train care coordinators to succeed in all types of accountable care settings.   We're proud to partner with MHA to offer this course first to those clinicians at the leading edge of the efforts to improve healthcare quality and cost."

The 10-week program builds upon the success of two day-long population management programs that MHA and The Geneia Institute provided to healthcare professionals this summer.   One participant, a case management manager at a major health system, said, "The future is here.  This program is what we need to do for our patients now in order to provide the best care." 

ABOUT MASSACHUSETTS HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
The Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization comprised of hospitals and health systems, related organizations, and other members with a common interest in promoting the good health of the people of the Commonwealth. Through leadership in public advocacy, education, and information, MHA represents and advocates for the collective interests of its members and supports their efforts to provide high quality, cost effective and accessible care. For more information, visit www.mhalink.org.

ABOUT GENEIA
Geneia is a healthcare innovations company specializing in the development and deployment of clinical, analytic, and technical solutions for healthcare.  Our staff of nearly 200 seasoned professionals including 100 physicians and nurses has significant experience in all aspects of healthcare.  We develop, acquire, and market leapfrogging technologies to improve the cost of healthcare, and the health of the people we serve.  The Geneia Institute educates clinicians and other healthcare professionals in population health, care coordination, and other emerging models.  Geneia helps hospitals, physicians, health plans, brokers, employers, and their employees succeed in the post healthcare reform environment.  For more information, visit www.geneia.com.

ABOUT VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF NURSING
The Villanova University College of Nursing, established in 1953, is a nationally recognized premier nursing program under Catholic auspices with a mission to create a synergy between compassion and clinical excellence. Designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing, the College provides a values-based undergraduate education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences that prepares students to assume positions as productive, ethical, and socially responsible citizens and leaders providing care in clinical and community settings.  Its environment for faculty and student scholarship, its respected continuing nursing education program, centers that address crucial health issues, and the leadership contributions of its students, faculty and alumni in nursing and healthcare are acknowledged around the world.  Villanova University College of Nursing has recently achieved accreditation with distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center. This prestigious honor deems our continuing education program to be of the highest quality and worthy of public confidence.  For more information, visit www.villanova.edu/nursing.

SOURCE Geneia