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Service Line Planning | Cardiology Services Planning | Behavioral Health Planning | Reproductive Health Planning

Health Care Service Line Planning

Successsful service line planning is a major undertaking. PHRG understands the current health care market and is uniquely suited to design and complete plans for service line development. Our population and market driven approach, based on scientifically derived information, identifies real service opportunities for future growth.

We help you answer the critical questions that lead to new opportunities. Specifically, we will help you to:

• Pinpoint key health problems and health service needs of distinct populations and subgroups;
• Target service line expansion or reorganization;
• Identify geographic areas for expansion and areas where services are inappropriate; and
• Improve population health while improving your financial viability.

Our approach to service line planning is based on years of experience and professional expertise. It includes:

• Scientifically valid key indicators of health status, health care needs, and current and projected use patterns;
• Proven process that uses these indicators to drive meaningful planning;
• Benchmark rates of health indicators and outcomes; and
• Accurate assessment of future demand for specific health care services.

It's all about clean data and sound methods
The distinguishing features of the PHRG planning model are:

• Multiple data sources and a high degree of data integrity;
• Proprietary data collection and analysis software;
• Benchmarking with peer organizations and communities; and
• Knowledgeable integration of quantitative and qualitative data.

Clinical expertise in select service lines
PHRG has developed focused assessment modules in key areas including:

• Cardiology services;
• Women's health;
• Youth and adolescent health;
• Behavioral health; and
• Community nees assessments.

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Cardiology Services Planning

PHRG assists providers who want to take their cardiology program to the "next level" of service excellence. PHRG offers a unique planning approach for providers who wish to add or expand cardiac-related services, including prevention, diagnostic and interventional cardiology. Using PHRG's superior volume projection models, our experienced operational and facility planning skills and our unique approach to financial structuring, hospitals gain an opportunity to increase their service offering in cardiology that meet community, physician and hospital needs.

PHRG's talented and experienced multi-disciplinary team of consultants address all aspects of a provider's Cardiology Service Line. The range of services and benefits we provide include:

Population Based Market Analysis

Successful planning projects with over forty hospitals in more than a dozen states have helped PHRG to create and refine a cardiac services template that:

• Describes and quantifies the cardiovascular health of target communities and populations;
• Specifies the size of at-risk populations for targeted prevention to intervention programs; and
• Forecasts need and demand for invasive and non-invasive cardiac care services.

Cardiovascular Program Design and Financing

For each client, we work closely with physician leaders and hospital officials to design/enhance cardiology services that manifest quality and excellence. This process involves careful assessment of existing internal and local conditions and takes into account a host of environmental influences such as technology and financial payment trends. We prepare pro forma financial operating and capital plans based on estimated future demand and the proposed cardiac services configuration. We then assist you in securing capital funds for the center with the objective of meeting financial needs at the lowest cost to the community while providing appropriate returns to investors.

In the course of this work we help a client specify:

• The discrete programs it will offer either internally or in concert with other providers;
• Realistic market share estimates by modality;
• Decision support on how to physically and organizationally arrange any aspect of the program alone or in concert with its physicians or other providers;
• Quality, cost and access components; and
• A financial and business plan that speaks to the interests of the hospital, physicians and regulators.

Special Project Support

Clients sometimes wish to address and resolve a specific issue or program opportunity. In this regard, PHRG can help clients in a number of ways including:

• Preparing accurate and reliable volume and market share estimates out ten years;
• Preparing facility program plans that can be used as a basis for architectural design solutions;
• Documentation of operational plans that describe how a project will function taking into account such factors as technology, staffing, and information systems; and
• Assistance in developing a financing plan.

Proven Results

Cardiac services planning is one of PHRG's premier areas of expertise. We have experienced consultants, unique and time-tested methodologies and, most importantly, a track record of client success.

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Behavioral Health Services Planning

Mental health and substance abuse problems are more widespread than ever. Nearly all hospitals have some role in meeting needs for prevention or treatment. Figuring out how to best meet these needs has never been easy. Today, regulatory and managed care requirements make it more difficult than ever.

In our work with over 50 hospitals in thirteen states, PHRG has developed a comprehensive and effective approach to behavioral services planning. Our model results in helping people to become healthier while ensuring your hospital's financial viability. We work with your management team to:

• Evaluate current mental health and chemical dependency programs, market needs and strategic program opportunities such as short-term crisis stabilization units, 24-hour assessment and triage capabilities, and psychiatric home care services;
• Identify and develop a fully integrated continuum of behavioral care services;
• Assist in strengthening any collaborative relationships and explore potential opportunities for new relationships;
• Recommend a managed care contracting strategy; and
• Assist in the design of an effective management information system with a capacity for generating medical outcome information.

We can also recommend staffing patterns and create pro-forma budgets for new services. Financial models include an understanding of your local market, managed care dynamics, and the potential of assuming risk under capitated and case rate contracts.

PHRG brings a combination of epidemiological, clinical, management and strategic planning expertise to each behavioral service planning engagement. We know that each community is unique and every provider is different so we tailor our approach to meet your situation and maximize your opportunities.

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Reproductive Health Services Planning

The Reproductive Health Planning Module was created to facilitate the efforts of hospitals and communities seeking to improve health services and outcomes for women of reproductive age. It provides hospitals with information with which to enhance their services to women-pre-partum, intra-partum and postpartum services. This module utilizes PHRG's trademark planning techniques for identifying the specific health care needs of distinct populations and translating that into detailed information for enhancing and implementing health care services. The results are essential for developing a coordinated, comprehensive continuum of reproductive health care services for all women.

Objectives

The Reproductive Health Planning Module will accomplish four key objectives:

1. Provide a comprehensive medical and epidemiological assessment of the reproductive health status of women aged 12-49 years in a community by population subgroups (age, race, ethnic origin);
2. Critically evaluate the current delivery of reproductive health care services in the community, including access and availability issues;
3. Develop facility and manpower plans that improve reproductive health services so that they meet community needs and provider expectations; and
4. Complements these objectives with a viable financial plan.

Methods

Utilizing continuum of care maps ranging from social services to tertiary care service, PHRG's Reproductive Health Planning Module provides population-based health status, clinical, utilization, and provider practice pattern information to target and project services volumes for specific population groups. Clinical data are linked with outcome data. Clinical guidelines and documented health care standards are used as benchmarks for comparative analysis. Surveys of medical records, providers and patients are also used for information about the incidence and prevalence of health conditions, risk factors, outpatient health utilization, care seeking behaviors and attitudes towards services and providers.

Benefits

• An assessment of the health status of women of reproductive age (12-49 years);
• Identification and projection of the service volumes related to routine gynecologic, prenatal, intra-partum, and post-partum care;
• Functional requirements (facility and organizational) to integrate needed health services; and
• A business strategy for targeted, cost-effective improvements in reproductive health care services that addresses the needs of consumers, physicians and hospitals.

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