Becker's Hospital Review

83 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP True Population Health Management Means Taking 'Custodial Responsibility' for Entire Communities of People: 5 Questions With RWJBarnabas Health President and CEO Barry H. Ostrowsky By Tamara Rosin P opulation health management is a frequently used term among health- care executives, especially as the industry shifts its focus from volume of services delivered to prevention and out- comes-based care. But population health management can encompass a broad range of interpretations and initiatives, and such efforts are implemented at varying scales at different health systems across the country. To Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and CEO of West Orange, N.J.- based RWJBarnabas Health, effective population health manage- ment efforts must go beyond simply taking measures to avoid un- necessary emergency department utilization or providing broad interventions for a targeted disease, though he notes these endeav- ors are still important. Mr. Ostrowsky says to truly manage the health of a community, health systems must identify and address the most significant social determinants of health, as factors like employment, food security, housing and education have an out- sized effect on individuals' ability to achieve and sustain positive health outcomes. Mr. Ostrowsky became president and COO of Barnabas Health in 2010 and president and CEO in 2012. He assumed his current posi- tion in April 2016 following the merger of Barnabas Health and Rob- ert Wood Johnson Health System. RWJBarnabas Health is the most comprehensive healthcare delivery system in New Jersey, covering approximately 5 million residents, or more than half of the state's pop- ulation. It is also the state's largest employer. Under Mr. Ostrowsky's leadership, RWJBarnabas Health has launched a series of initiatives aimed at supporting the econom- ically disadvantaged in Newark, N.J., including nutrition and em- ployment programs, which are pilots to be introduced in other New Jersey communities. He was also a member of the American Hospital Association's Task Force on Ensuring Access in Vulnera- ble Communities, where he helped the association identify issues and design solutions that can be replicated in vulnerable commu- nities across the nation. Here, Mr. Ostrowsky took the time to answer Becker's five questions. Question: What is RWJBarnabas Health doing to ad- dress social determinants of health in the communities it serves? Barry H. Ostrowsky: Our first meaningful approach began in New- ark, a city that encompasses highly skilled and professional individ- uals but unfortunately also has a vulnerable community that suffers from chronic unemployment, poor housing and food insecurity. We chose to focus on the issue of chronic unemployment initially because helping people find jobs and training them to maintain employment can help to address many other social determinants of health. For in- stance, when a family has an income, they are in a better position to have safe housing, buy healthy food and are less likely to develop be- havioral health challenges. rough one program, we provide intensive job training and job opportunities. We are also investing in local companies that are typ- ically minority owned. ese companies will provide us with goods and services while increasing the opportunity to hire additional Newarkers. We are also working with our vendors to hire people from vulnerable communities and reviewing our supply chain strat- egy to create additional jobs in Newark. Finally, we've invested in an entrepreneurial incubator that will support new ideas and busi- nesses, provided those businesses remain in Newark and commit to hiring Newark residents. Q: How are you making a difference in Newark's econom- ically disadvantaged South Ward and all of Newark? BO: While we have many initiatives, one of the most exciting is e Beth Greenhouse, located at Newark Beth Israel Medical Cen- ter and Children's Hospital of New Jersey, which provides access to fresh, nutritious affordable produce to residents of the South Ward and surrounding communities. It also provides on-the-job training, internships and employment opportunities and supports health and wellness activities. We expect to replicate this greenhouse in other vulnerable communities such as Jersey City. "I hope it will continue to be a growing wave of acknowledgement that we can't just make sure we have enough CT scanners or clinics open any given number of hours, but that we need to go deep into our communities to have an impact."

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