This compilation of profiles describes the development and current work of regional health improvement collaboratives, and their important role in supporting health care reform. Regional health improvement collaboratives have three key characteristics:
- They are non-profit organizations based in a specific geographic region of the country (i.e., a metropolitan region or state);
- They are governed by a multi-stakeholder board composed of healthcare providers (both physicians and hospitals), payers (health insurance plans and government health coverage programs), purchasers of health care (employers, unions, retirement funds, and government), and consumers; and
- They help the stakeholders in their community identify opportunities for improving healthcare quality and value, and facilitate planning and implementation of strategies for addressing those opportunities.
Five of the most important roles these regional health improvement collaboratives have are 1) measuring health system performance, 2) facilitating payment and delivery system reform, 3) providing training and assistance to providers, 4) educating consumers, and 5) helping to plan and coordinate the many different health improvement activities in the community.
The financial sustainability of these regional health improvement collaboratives continues to be a challenge, with most relying on a combination of membership dues, grants, and fees-for-services (for example, for trainings and quality improvement coaching).
The report also includes profiles of 20 of the approximately forty regional health improvement collaboratives around the U.S.
Ignatius Bau 