Change Package for Delivery Systems to Adopt Programs for High-Need, High-Cost Patients

The IHI team will create a curated online toolkit to assist health care systems in implementing care programs for high-need, high-cost patients. Informed by the ongoing IHI collaborative, by peer-reviewed research, and by the experience of exemplary organizations, this new resource will provide system leaders with strategic guidance and frontline care teams with operational support. For example, it will describe how to select an appropriate patient population and target the right individuals, how to engage patients, how to set up care management programs, and how to partner with community-based organizations. For each step there will be tested improvement strategies and operational resources, such as checklists and tip-sheets, for ensuring effective implementation. An advisory panel will review the toolkit. Dissemination will occur through a radio show, weekly newsletters, mini courses offered through the IHI National Forum, and the Commonwealth Fund website. Updated continually, this dynamic resource will help spread promising approaches to improving outcomes for high-need, high-cost patients. There are two target audiences: executive-level staff with a strategic interest in and responsibility for population management, and the clinicians responsible for designing effective care practices for individuals with complex needs.