Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | Fact Book 2018 | Worcester Business Journal 41 H e a l t h C a r e I N D U S T R I E S Whole- person health To save on costs, Central Mass. is shifting to a healthy populations approach T he healthcare industry is a crucial component in the rejuvenation of Central Massachusetts. Aside from impacting virtually all industries in one respect or another, the healthcare field maintains signifi- cant overlap with the higher education sector. In fact, UMass Medical School in Worcester was positioned No. 19 among the Best Medical Schools for Primary Care, according to the 2019 U.S. News & World Report rankings. David Seltz, executive director of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, said even in one of the healthiest states, the healthcare chal- lenges continue to be great. Seltz finds the rising premiums for small businesses in Massachusetts of particular concern. HPC reported the annual premium cost of single coverage for small businesses in Massachusetts is the second-highest in the country. Seltz points out the cost of premiums through the state exchange is actually the second lowest nationwide. "The Health Connector has been working hard to make it an option for small businesses to be able to purchase through the state exchange at a much lower premium cost," he said. The HPC reported from 2016 to 2017, Massachusetts' total healthcare spending growth was 1.6 percent – a full 2 percentage points below the 2017 healthcare cost growth benchmark of 3.6 percent, and the lowest observed since the HPC was established six years ago. According to Seltz, healthcare spending trends in Massachusetts con- tinue to fall below the national average. Central Massachusetts providers like Harvard Pilgrim Health Care are focus- ing on whole-person care in order to facilitate personalized and innovative approaches to health and wellness. "This is an all-in game, and it can't be accomplished alone. By developing strong partnerships with the profes- BY SARAH CONNELL Special to the Worcester Business Journal sionals and entities that deliver care and working closely with employers to engage membership, you play a collab- orative role in a member's successful journey towards better health," said Kate McEvoy, Harvard Pilgrim vice president for Central & Western Mass. Emerging healthcare fields The HPC reported there were zero urgent care centers or retail clinics in Central Massachusetts in 2010. By con- trast, in 2017, the HPC identified 23 new sites of this nature in the region. "The data showed that many of the new entrants are part of larger chains growing across Massachusetts. Some of the hospitals are getting into the urgent care business as well," Seltz says. The HPC found urgent care centers and retail clinics can provide a much lower-cost alternative to the emergency department. Seltz shared even when examining for minor conditions, the average cost of the emergency depart- ment was almost five times more expen- sive than an urgent care center visit, and almost nine times more expensive than a retail clinic visit. "These sites are less costly, not just for total healthcare spending but also for consumers," Seltz said. Continued on Next Page Investing in prevention and support The opioid-epidemic has broadened the scope of emerging needs in the local healthcare landscape. HPC examined the latest county-level data (through 2017) and found opioid deaths contin- ued to increase in Worcester County. "There were 91 opioid-related deaths in Worcester County in 2012 compared to 268 in 2017, representing an almost 200-percent increase," Seltz said. HPC has made significant invest- ments in Central Massachusetts, award- ing UMass Medical Center $250,000 to Healthcare workers at Taravista Behavioral Health in Devens focus on the mental aspects of a person's medical needs.

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