Role

Strategist and Executive Director

Services

Vision & Strategy
Capital Planning
Organizational Design
Staffing
Technology Development
Real Estate Development
Creative Direction
Project Management
Communications
Marketing
Clinical Model
Procurement
Innovation
Board Management
Contracting & Credentialing

For

UnitedHealthcare Mission Distinction

When

2018 - 2019

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UnitedHealthcare Neighborhood Clinics represent a tangible step toward improving access to health care for our nation’s most vulnerable populations. This social purpose initiative is designed to touch millions of lives by reimagining primary care delivery through a digital first, integrated approach. UnitedHealthcare Neighborhood Clinics help UnitedHealthcare Community Plan Medicaid members and the uninsured gain access to person-centered, primary care in underserved areas.

1.

Strategic Planning
As part of our CEO’s commitment to social purpose, the UnitedHealthcare Neighborhood Clinics were proposed as a tangible step to improving access to care for underserved and uninsured Americans while improving our brand recognition.

To improve understanding of the communities we serve, we sought to create two prototype clinics to serve as iterative learning labs. To select initial sites, we established criteria with potential to impact learnings including Medicaid expansion status, neighborhood variability, market partnerships and regulatory uniqueness. Using these criteria, we selected two markets and identified high-density UHC Medicaid membership neighborhoods where less access to primary care providers than the national average was cited. We worked local market health plans to inform geography and health system constraints and conducted real estate searches to identify prospect locations.

In effort of ensuring long-term success of the initiative, we designed the test for break even status within three years of development. We established a Steering Committee to support identification of opportunities for innovation and inform development of our go-to-market strategy.

Recognizing constraints of expected revenue, we emphasized innovation to evolve the traditional primary care model and focused on services capable of driving a high-volume patient panel.

2.

Strategic Development
To expedite development, we developed a sixteen focused work streams the managing working team was responsible for strategically driving and executing. Work streams consisted of:

• Real Estate: capital, programming, site design and development

• Finance: budgeting, operations configuration, incentives

• Partnerships: market, business, external

• Brand & Marketing: identify, tone, communications, marketing, site design, event planning

• Governance: board set-up, board management, reporting

• Staffing: model, hiring, training

• Admin Ops: visit types, workflows, policies & procedures, oversight

• Regulatory: regulations, eligibility, compliance

• Clinical Ops: workflows, care oversight, protocols

• Concierge Services: virtual care, call center, after hours, MD moonlighting

• Procurement: lab, supplies, equipment, waste, office, vaccines

• Licensing: entity setup, malpractice, provider licensing, CLIA, VCF, x-waivers

• Network: credentialing, contracting

• Technology: EMR setup, digital-first hardware, digital-first software, workflow tools and enablement

• Innovation: learning goals, measurement

• Implementation: referrals, triage, SDoH, hand-offs

The managing team conducted bi-weekly report-outs to a Steering Committee communicating all decision points and conducted active resolution of any identified barriers.

3.

Concept Deployment
The entire initiative was strategically planned and executed in parallel and took place over sixteen months. Our grand opening was delivered in Houston, Texas with a fast follow at our Phoenix, Arizona site just two months later. Clinic teams were onboarded in a staggered fashion based on areas of expertise areas and supported development of the model in partnership with the managing team.

Over course of development the managing team ideated, developed and executed against new-to-market innovation including:

Integrated Care Model

• Staffing model supported holistic care needs servicing patients through unique open workflow environment

• Primary Care Providers were hired based on commitment to work in tandem with other clinical staff

• Licensed Clinical Social Workers supported low level behavioral needs while an on-site telehealth room enabled access to telepsych services compliant with local regulations

• Care Coordinators worked to support clinical partners and actively engage offsite needs to support the social needs of patients

• Task shifting protocols were developed to maximize licensure and enable a more efficient practice

Digital-First Delivery

• Digital check-in streamlined patient sign-up and put members in charge of their information

• Telemedicine pathways were developed within the clinical workflow improving access for patients when care needs arose

• The digital-first model increased practice efficiency and lowered required square footage while increasing continuity of care and improving the patient experience by limiting a members need to repeat details

Concierge Support

• A front-end care team was developed and deployed and was comprised of both patient advocates and nurses to help ensure patients got to the right level of care 24/7

• Triage protocols were developed with real-time hand-offs to telehealth

• The first of its kind service reduced common barriers to accessing care inclusive of time away from work and transportation