Return on Community Investment (ROCI):
A High Impact Institute

Pre-Conference Data Collection
      CJAonline.net                  Click here to print your Survey Responses

Return on Community Investment Survey Responses

Respondent Name:

Peter Doliber

E-Mail Address:

Dolibpe@MEMORIALHEALTH.com

Organization Name:

Memorial Health   

Phone:

(912) 350-7693   Ext.

Fax:

-

Address:

Director of Community Benefits Administration
4700 Waters Avenue, PO Box 23089

City, State, Zip:

Savannah, GA    31402
Category: Your Community

What is the service area of your initiative (counties, city, etc.)?

South East Georgia (Savannah, GA and environs)

What is the total population in your service area?

1 M

What percentage of the total population lives below the federal poverty level?

19%

What percentage of the total population is uninsured?

19%
Category: Your Program Initiative

Indicate which of the following categories your initiative falls in:

Outreach and navigation
Primary care capacity and access
Volunteer physician networks
Emergency room usage reduction
Case management of chronic disease
Access to affordable pharmaceuticals

Describe the purpose of your initiative (in one sentence, if possible):

To undergird the local safety net with public/private partnerships.

Describe the scale of your initiative in terms of budget, capacity, etc.:

Various projects with total budgets in excess of $5 M

Describe the operational components of your initiative:

Access, volunteers, education, navigation, fund leveraging, policy influence, lobbying, benefit enhancement.

Describe your initiative's staffing level:

Total staffing for all projects approximately 200.

If applicable, please describe your strategic use of an information system:

Patient tracking, benefit analysis, information sharing, cost justification.

Please list the major, time-framed, measurable objectives your initiative is designed to achieve:

Reduce ED use, increase access to pharmacy, reduce hospitalizations, leverage funds, and increase health status
Category: Measurable Results

Which of the following results can be attributed to your program initiative? Please check all that apply.

Coordinated System of Care Savings
Reduction of ER usage for non-urgent care
Savings from operational improvements within integrated system
Qualifying people for government subsidized programs
Increasing awareness of programs and services
Services brought into the community
Pharmaceuticals acquired on behalf of clients
Increased reimbursements
Volunteer contributions
Improved health status
Improved productivity
Economic development factor
Social justice implications
Increased attendance at work

Please list any other actual, measurable results of your initiative:

68% reduction in ED recidivism, 52% reduction in homelessness
Category: Your ROCI Strategy

How do you define ROCI?

From the view of the benefactor. To the elected official it is an increase in living wages and a decrease in crime. To the hospital CEO it is reduced costs for uncompensated care and increased revenue. To the community advocate it is increased funding and decreased recidivism.

Describe your ROCI objectives and strategy:

By improving access within a continuum of care that includes education, housing, training, and intervention, individuals are healthier physically, mentally, and spiritually. By linking existing infrastructure and removing duplication efficiencies are achieved.

Describe the players involved in the ROCI conversation (by title and/or function):

Chatham County Commissioners, Savannah City Council, Union Mission, Inc., Savannah Area Behavioral Health Collaborative, Memorial Health University Medical Center, Chatham County Health Department, Curtis V. Cooper Primary Care, Community HealthCare Center, Department of Human Resources, Department of Community Health, Department of Community Affairs, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and others.

List the milestones in your ROCI strategy that pertain to deal making (a prospective approach):

Reduction in recidivism, reduction in cost of care per person, leverage of state, federal, foundation and private funds.

List the milestones in your ROCI strategy that are tied to outcomes (a retrospective approach):

58% reduction in homelessness, 65% reduction in ED use for primary care, $1.8 M reduction in hospitalizations, $10 M in free primary care, $5 M in leveraged funds, and $2 M in avoided hospital costs.

List the milestones in your ROCI strategy that are linked to sustainability:

Obtained grants, private funding, investment funding, efficiencies of infrastructure, and increased quality.
Category: Your ROCI Methodology

Describe the analytic or economic logic underlying your ROCI method:

Readily available socio-economic data is used to indicate the overall health (as defined by well-being) of the community. As individuals are served within a continuum that includes a holistic approach to well-being, life improves for all - a rising tide floats all boats.

Is your method supported by scientific research? If yes, please describe:

The data comes from scientifically sound analysis and is applied within accepted means of statistical analysis.

Describe the measures that you used to define "returns" or value:

We measure the benefit to the individual as defined by improvement in access, health status or reduction in hospitalizations. We measure the returns to providers in terms of avoided costs. We measure the return to the community in terms of a qualified work force.

Describe the measures that you used to define investments or costs:

Reduction in inappropriate access to ED, cost savings, increase in primary care use, reduction in lost days.

Please briefly describe your data collection methods.

Secondary published data and use of primary data from internal hospital data.
Category: ROCI Communication and Negotiation

Describe the conversations that define your ROCI process:

Listening to consumers, providers, and government. Discussions concerning needs, wants, and benefits peculiar to the specific group.

Describe how ROCI conversations are tailored to specific audiences:

See above.

Describe what enabled effective conversations to occur:

Active listening, probative open ended questions. Sincere concern for individual need. Placing benefit in terms that were understood.
Category: Results from the ROCI Process

Describe the outcomes, the successes of your ROCI strategy:

Hospital invested as a change agent in the community. Increased trust on part of consumer with changes in culture. Leveraging of funds. Community-based providers flourishing. State and Local Government invested in process. Development of state and national demonstrations.
Category: Lessons

What do you see as the critical success factors that can guide others?

Learning to phrase benefits in terms of individual audiences.

Do you believe that your results can be replicated successfully with other similar initiatives? Can you suggest how replication may be facilitated?

Yes. Already in process. The core programs are adaptable to other locations and specific needs.