Colorado Access Selects Owl to Advance Quality and Reduce Costs in Behavioral Healthcare

Colorado Medicaid plan selects market-leading measurement-based care platform to support providers in measuring treatment effectiveness, leading to improved member outcomes and reduced costs. 

AURORA, Colo., Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Owl, a behavioral health technology company, today announced that Colorado Access, the largest and most experienced public sector health plan in Colorado, has selected Owl to help providers deliver more effective and efficient treatment.

As behavioral health needs continue to rise, access to effective and affordable care is a top priority. The partnership between Owl and Colorado Access is poised to address this challenge by integrating measurement-based care into the health plan's offerings.

Through Owl's platform, select providers in the Colorado Access network can easily deploy clinical measures to patients, allowing them to report their symptoms prior to appointments. Providers can use the results to review treatment effectiveness and use the information to adjust treatment, thereby providing more effective and efficient care.

The patient-reported data also enables providers to determine the optimal level and duration of treatment, which opens more appointments to increase patient access.

"With Owl, our members are more engaged in their behavioral health outcomes—proven to lead to dramatic savings across the healthcare spectrum," said Dana Pepper, vice president of performance and network services at Colorado Access. "We'll also create a strong alignment and collaboration with our behavioral healthcare providers, giving them the confidence that their treatment plans are effective and supported by tangible results."

A recent measurement-based care impact study analyzed client spend, utilization, and outcomes from a provider group in the Colorado Access network that uses Owl for measurement-based care. The results demonstrated that consistent use of Owl has a clinical impact on adverse events while reducing cost, including:

• 75% reduction in psychiatric inpatient admits
• 63% reduction in emergency room visits
• 28% per member per month savings
• An estimated annual savings of $25M for Colorado Access

"Owl is excited to join forces with Colorado Access to elevate behavioral health services across the state," said Eric Meier, chief executive officer of Owl. "We applaud Colorado Access' commitment to bringing measurement-based care to their providers. Our partnership will help the growing number of people who need behavioral health services get better, faster."

The partnership between Owl and Colorado Access marks a significant step forward in using measurement-based care to align providers and payers on behavioral health outcomes data. Together, they are paving the way in demonstrating the value of behavioral health treatments, thus becoming the basis for value-based care.

About Owl
Owl's measurement-based care platform goes beyond measuring outcomes. Rich, actionable data helps behavioral health organizations increase access to care, improve clinical outcomes, and lower cost—all while using existing clinical resources. Leading organizations, including Aurora Mental Health & Recovery, Recovery Centers of America, and Ascension Health rely on Owl to expand access to care, improve clinical outcomes, and prepare for value-based care.

Get better data, better insights, and better outcomes with Owl. Learn more at owl.health.

About Colorado Access
As the largest and most experienced public sector health plan in the state, Colorado Access is a nonprofit organization that works beyond just navigating health services. The company focuses on meeting members' unique needs by partnering with providers and community organizations to provide better personalized care through measurable results. Their broad and deep view of regional and local systems allows them to stay focused on members' care while collaborating on measurable and economically sustainable systems that serve them better. Learn more at coaccess.com.

SOURCE Owl