Alliance Blog

“A database is just a database unless you can actually take it to action.” I made that statement when I spoke at the National Employer Summit last month and I want to expand on what I mean by it and why I think it’s so important. Data is a crucial first step, but without mechanisms ...

As part of its Getting to Affordability initiative, the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI) and the Washington Health Alliance partnered to address how to work collaboratively to achieve price transparency. The organizations created a learning module that features interviews with members of the Alliance’s Board of Directors, who discuss the journey to gain access ...

The Lown Institute’s Annual Conference was held last week, with the theme of “Breaking the cycle of high cost and low value: America’s next health system.” The Alliance’s Deputy Director, Susie Dade, presented on our “First, Do No Harm” report, which used Milliman’s MedInsight Health Waste Calculator to quantify low-value health care services in Washington ...

In February, the Alliance released “First, Do No Harm,” our report on unnecessary health care in Washington state. The report used the MedInsight Health Waste Calculator to quantify wasteful care and estimated costs associated with it. We’re pleased that the report has been received with enthusiasm by members and stakeholders across the state. However, our ...

The Washington Health Alliance is excited to announce that Puget Sound Energy and SEIU 775 Benefits Group have agreed to become data suppliers for the Alliance’s voluntary All-Payer Claims Database (APCD). The addition of these two organizations to the Alliance’s APCD will add nearly 11,000 covered lives to this already robust database, which dates back ...

This month, we’re excited to welcome Celgene Corporation, Magellan Health and Quad+Aim Partners as the newest members of the Alliance. About Celgene Corporation Celgene seeks to deliver truly innovative and life-changing drugs for their patients. Their vision is to build a major global biopharmaceutical corporation while focusing on the discovery, the development, and the commercialization ...

National and regional employers, health care providers, and other health care leaders convened in Seattle yesterday for a National Employer Summit addressing “The Purchaser’s Role in Driving Affordability.” Organized by the Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement, with the Washington Health Alliance serving as local host, the Summit provided a forum for employers to discuss innovative ...

Seattle, WA —Employers, healthcare providers, and other industry leaders today gathered in Seattle to discuss the roles they can play in reining in the rising cost of U.S. healthcare. Experts from Boeing, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GE healthymagination, and leaders of Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives (RHICs) agreed that the healthcare industry cannot fix ...

Last Thursday, Seattle Business magazine hosted a gala at Bell Harbor International Conference Center for their 2018 Leaders in Health Care Awards. It was an exciting and inspiring evening, and I was reminded that we are truly fortunate to be in a region with such outstanding health care leaders. One of those leaders, Dr. Peter ...

This month, we’re excited to welcome eviCore and Collective Medical as the newest members of the Alliance.   About eviCore Healthcare eviCore is a company committed to advancing healthcare management through intelligent care – and enabling better outcomes for patients, providers, and plans. It is an evidence-based approach that leverages exceptional capabilities, powerful analytics, and acute ...

Patients consider provider communication more important than other elements of patient experience 35% of males and 21% of females reported binge drinking at least some of the time Nearly three-quarters of patients said they did not get help finding out the cost of a recommended health care treatment or medication beforehand SEATTLE, Feb. 26, 2018 ...

Last week the Alliance released our new report on health care waste in Washington, “First, Do No Harm,” and the response has been outstanding. The report has been featured in dozens of news stories, both nationally and locally, including NPR and ProPublica, Modern Healthcare, MyNorthwest/KIRO, the Tacoma News Tribune, and the Spokesman-Review. I would also ...