The human arsenal, as we know, is expansive beyond all limits, but it still doesn’t have anything more valuable than that tendency of ours to grow on a consistent basis. This tendency, in particular, has already fetched us some huge milestones, with technology appearing as a major member of the stated group. The main reason why we hold technology in such a high regard is because of its skill-set, which was unprecedented enough to usher us towards a reality that we couldn’t have imagined otherwise. Nevertheless, a closer look would reveal how the whole runner was also very much inspired by the way we applied those skills across a real-world environment. The latter component was, in fact, what gave the creation a spectrum-wide presence, including a timely appearance on our healthcare block. Technology’s foray into healthcare was so perfect with its timing, as it came right when the sector was beginning to struggle against its own obsolete structure. This reality, fortunately enough, went through a complete overhaul under the new regime, but even after achieving such a monumental feat, the new and budding medtech concept will somehow keep on producing all the right goods. The same has turned more and more evident over the recent past, and truth be told, Horizon Health’s latest effort should do a lot to make that trend bigger and better moving forward.
Horizon Health, along with its behavioral health affiliate, NovaWell, has officially launched a new suite of solutions that will focus on championing behavioral health across the masses. According to certain reports, these solutions are specifically designed for health plans and health systems, but what will they bring to the table? Well, we start with NovaClinical, which is slated to provide various critical services, such as care management, utilization management, clinical quality improvement, and member navigation services. Next in line of solutions is NovaConnect, a program that will focus entirely on conceiving granular-level behavioral health solutions for adults, as well as kids. Talk about tapping into the granular-level, NovaCommunityCare will do just that by providing necessary support to people suffering from a serious mental illness, substance use disorder or any other specific addiction. Last but not the least, there is NovaNework, which is designed to help health plans in improving their overall behavioral health network.
“Everything we do is focused on a fully integrated approach to people,” said Suzanne Kunis, president and CEO of NovaWell, in an interview. “So someone with diabetes who happens to also have depression, they should be treated as the same person. You need to look at them with their physical health issues, mental health issues and importantly, their social issues, social determinants.”
Of course, this bid to help out health plans and health systems comes after the resounding success of Horizon Health’s own behavioral program, a program that started from just one New Jersey county before landing in 18 of them, with plans to realize a country-wide presence now already in place. As for the efficacy bit, the program has served more than a couple thousand patients, and going by the available details, it was able to reduce inpatient admissions by a sizeable 50%, while also achieving a 27% reduction in emergency room visits, and a 20% reduction in the total cost of care.
“The existing options just aren’t working,” said Kunis. “So we want to make sure that we do more than just maintain the status quo if we are ever going to make any inroads in helping people.”
