Health Initiatives

Improving Health through Information Sharing

The Hanley Center was an early catalyst in support of the development of Maine’s health information exchange, HealthInfoNet, through the Hanley Forum on Health Information Technology in 2005–A Statewide Information Technology Strategy to Advance Support of Quality Care and Improved Patient Outcomes in Maine.

In 2011, the Hanley Center began a two-year initiative aimed at accelerating the adoption of electronic medical records within Maine’s behavioral health community. Beginning with a Hanley Forum on the topic: Bridging the Digital Divide:  Connecting Maine’s Behavioral Health Community with the Electronic Health Information Exchange, the Hanley Center hosted forums that brought behavioral health leaders from around the state together to address need for electronic health information sharing.

This planning process helped to lay the groundwork for more efficient interconnectivity between behavioral health and physical health providers through HealthInfoNet.  Initial funding was provided by the Maine Health Access Foundation.  Initially, the focus was on coordinating to help behavioral health organizations acquire and use electronic health record systems. Then we refocused on the move from siloed patient-information environments to systems that allow disparate providers to share information and coordinate care. By the close of the initiative, HealthInfoNet had connected with the first behavioral health organization and has continued to expand into this sector. Public Health Workforce & Leadership Development

The Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Hanley Center partnered in 2011 and designed a planning process focused on improving the capacity of Maine’s public health workforce.  This collaboration resulted in the development of the State’s Maine Public Health Workforce Development Comprehensive Five-Year Plan (2013-2018) intended to address the state’s public health needs in an era of rapid change.  This plan was a critical component of the Maine CDC’s successful process of initial accreditation by the Public Health Accreditation Board.

As one point of implementation of the Five Year Public Health Workforce Development Plan, on June 1, 2015, the Maine CDC and the Hanley Center hosted the 2015 Public Health Leadership Summit at the Maine Hospital Association location in Augusta, bringing together more than 60 of the state’s most influential public health leaders. Survey feedback and Summit discussion formed crucial elements for a Five-Year Plan Update and Action Plan completed in June 2016.

State Innovation Model (SIM) Leadership & Team Development

In 2013, Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was chosen by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), to be a part of the State Innovation Model (SIM) Initiative–one of six states nationally, to push toward the triple aim goals of improving the quality of healthcare delivery, improving patients’ experience of care, and reducing the total costs of care.

From 2014-2016, the Hanley Center facilitated the process of creating a vision and strategy for health leadership development for the state and provided specific team training sessions for health leaders across Maine.

Hosted an executive leadership summit at the Augusta Civic Center where many of the state’s most influential healthcare leaders gathered and created a vision for healthcare leadership development over the next five years.

Engaged healthcare teams from organizations from all parts of Maine to build their capacity to work together effectively and move toward achieving the triple aim.  The engagement included live delivery trainings, webinars and group projects facilitated over a 1-year period.

A Commitment to Reaching Full Health Potential

Building on Dr. Daniel Hanley’s commitment to courage, inclusiveness, collaboration, kindness, innovation, leadership, and hard work, the Hanley Center has a deep commitment to promoting health equity.

“Health equity is achieved when every person has the opportunity to ‘attain his or her full health potential’ and no one is ‘disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstances.” (US CDC)

In addition to building health equity content into Hanley leadership courses curricula, we have led several statewide initiatives in support of health equity in Maine.

Health Disparities Ambassadors Program

A 2-year initiative involving committed HLD Alumni who were trained in health equity and health disparities and developed projects addressing health disparities in their communities.  Designed and supported by Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Foundation, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control & Prevention, and the Maine Community Foundation People of Color Fund.

Videos for Raising Awareness

In All Fairness: Putting a Face on Health Disparities
In collaboration with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Health Equity, the Hanley Center produced the “In All Fairness” video series. The videos are intended to be resources for healthcare professionals to build awareness of and prompt action to address health inequities.

Each video features 3 sub-populations facing health disparities in Maine.

Video 1 focuses on a Maine Somali community, rural homebound elders, and homeless youth.

Video 2 focuses on people with mental illness and substance use disorder, transgender individuals, and Maine’s tribal communities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOAKiSR9Dj4

The videos provide a rich opportunity for discussion of how health disparities are affecting people and communities in Maine.

Please use the videos as part of your health disparities education and for facilitating conversations in workplaces and communities. A facilitator’s guide is available to assist in hosting a conversation about the videos.

Implicit Bias Train-the-Trainer Initiative

With support from the Elmina Sewall Foundation, the Hanley Center created a Train the Trainer curriculum for people involved in training healthcare professionals.  The curriculum demonstrates what Implicit Bias is, its impact on health status, and strategies to mitigate bias.

The Hanley Center is ready to deliver this training to healthcare organizations working to mitigate bias and create a more culturally sensitive and competent workforce.

States of Solutions Initiative

A part of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 100 Million Healthier Lives Campaign and with the organizational leadership of the Hanley Center, the States of Solutions Initiative in Maine is focusing on building a statewide collaborative of organizations from and/or supporting racial and ethnic minority communities.  Through the initiative, the collaborative will identify a common health concern across all partners and develop an action plan for mutually supportive efforts to address that concern with the intent to overcome current biases and inequities.

Public Health Workforce Development

The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Hanley Center partnered in 2011 to design a planning process focused on improving the capacity of Maine’s public health workforce.  This process developed into a comprehensive five-year plan (2013-2018) intended to address the state’s public health needs in an era of rapid change.

On June 1, 2015, the Hanley Center hosted a public health leadership summit at the Maine Hospital Association facility in Augusta, where more than 60 of the state’s most influential public health leaders gathered to discuss the development of a comprehensive workforce development plan.

Prior to the summit, participants responded to survey questions on the current needs of the workforce, and Charles Dwyer of the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) presented on those survey results. Hanley Facilitators led discussions on the needs of the public health sector, and Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Chief Operational Officer Ken Albert presented on the CDC’s strategic initiative to decentralize public health oversight in effort to have a more connected community focus.

Discussions focused on building buy-in from diverse stakeholders, with emphasis on primary care providers and insurers, which was further directed by U.S. CDC Associate Director for Policy, John Auerbach.  John offered insight on national efforts and examples of how best to leverage Maine’s opportunities for public health workforce development.

This event positioned the Hanley Center to continue working with an oversight committee to refine and implement the comprehensive workforce development plan.

Charles Dwyer Slides: Workforce Needs Survey Results

John Auerbach Slides: Public Health in a Time of Change

Leadership Development in the State of Maine

The Hanley Center, under contract with Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provided services under a cooperative agreement between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) and Maine’s DHHS.  The cooperative agreement, known as the State Innovation Model (SIM) initiative awarded $33 million of Federal funding as one of six states selected to push toward the triple aim goals of improving the quality of healthcare delivery, improving patients’ experience of care, and reducing the total costs of care.

The Hanley Center’s work focused on facilitating the process to create a vision and strategy for health leadership development for the entire state as well as team effectiveness and leadership training for Maine’s current health leaders.

On June 2nd, 2015, the Hanley Center hosted an executive leadership summit at the Augusta Civic Center, where more than 50 of the state’s most influential healthcare leaders gathered to create a vision for healthcare leadership development over the next five years.  The tone of the event was overwhelmingly positive, with leaders from across disciplines encouraged by the diversity of stakeholder buy-in to a sustainable leadership development strategy.  A survey had been sent out to participants prior to the summit, and Dan McCormack (InterMed CEO and Hanley Center Board Treasurer) presented the results to stimulate the discussions for the day.

Hanley Center faculty led the summit with small group discussions on visioning and a panel discussion on challenges moving forward.

Derek Feeley, from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), presented on high-impact leadership in an era of reform, and offered advice on how to take immediate action.  From this event, the Hanley Center developed a Leadership Development Framework and Plan for the State of Maine.

Derek Feeley Slides: High-Impact Leadership

Leadership Development Plan for the State of Maine:  Introduction.  For full report, please Contact Us.