The Columbus Organization Advances an Innovative Care Coordination Model for Complex Care Lives

BLUE BELL, Pa., June 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Columbus Organization, a member of the CareSource family of companies, and the nation's largest provider of care coordination services for individuals living with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) and complex health concerns, today announced the launch of a revolutionary approach to coordinating care for complex lives. Leveraging the strengths of the proprietary ACHIEVE Analytics™ data capture platform, The Columbus Organization is better able to predict which individuals are at greater risk of negative health outcomes and require immediate attention from the provider community. By then further leveraging the advantages of SharePoint^® and communication across its entire clinical system, each of the nearly 500 Support Coordinators has the ability to call upon a team of experts in complex care for this population, to quickly improve their well-being and help them achieve their most meaningful life.

The growing prevalence of co-morbid conditions in the IDD population has necessitated novel strategies to reduce multi-dimensional risk while improving health outcomes. According to a recent study published in Current Opinion in Psychiatry (https://bit.ly/39kJDMo) as well as a metanalysis conducted at the University of Hertfordshire (https://bit.ly/3xo8vKV), approximately 30-50% of individuals with IDD may have co-existing psychiatric disorders. The studies also showed at least double the rates of polypharmacy as well as significantly increased rates for conditions like cancer, diabetes, and obesity in this population.

Melissa Richards, PhD, LBA, BCBA-D, Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations for The Columbus Organization, commented, "We see complex care as a real-time, person-centered, data-driven approach that requires interdisciplinary care teams and cross-sector partnerships to achieve optimal outcomes. Our innovative complex care management is a comprehensive operational model that includes integrated data analytics, rigorous selection of care coordinators, a unique approach to onboarding, training on co-morbid conditions ranging from depression & anxiety to HIV & asthma, and a state-of-the-art evolution in social/physical/behavioral processes and tools."

While many organizations have line-of-sight to either retrospective data or real-time qualitative analysis of the consumer, The Columbus Organization has created a unique way to integrate community-based, face-to-face assessment with critical medical and behavioral event observations and data, pioneering the future of complex health care coordination. The Columbus Organization recently presented greater detail on this novel approach to coordinating care for complex populations at the recent Open Minds Strategies and Innovation Institute conference held June 14-16, 2022.

About The Columbus Organization

For 38+ years, The Columbus Organization has been a national leader and pioneer in care coordination specifically for individuals living with intellectual/developmental disabilities, behavioral concerns, or complex care needs. Having served over 100,000 families, the company continues to be at the forefront of innovation, developing and implementing revolutionary outcomes-based models for early identification and holistic management of health risks among individuals with intellectual, developmental, behavioral, medical, and/or complex care needs. In addition to its team of almost 500 highly-experienced care coordinators, dedicated Quality Assurance division, and unparalleled national infrastructure, Columbus is also a recognized leader in clinical staffing and quality improvement services for organizations that serve the behavioral health community.

The company delivers an unmatched depth of expertise, breadth of resources, diversity of thinking, and dedication to ensuring everyone can achieve their meaningful-life goals through transformative approaches to healthcare. For more, visit www.ColumbusOrg.com, follow @TheColumbusOrg on Twitter, like The Columbus Organization on Facebook, or follow The Columbus Organization on LinkedIn.

About CareSource

CareSource is a nonprofit, multi-state health plan recognized as a national leader in managed care. Founded in 1989, CareSource administers one of the nation's largest Medicaid managed care plans and offers a lifetime of access to care through health insurance, including Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace, Medicare Advantage and dual-eligible programs. Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, CareSource serves 2 million members in Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West

Virginia. CareSource is also a partner in CareSource PASSE, which serves Arkansans with complex behavioral health and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. CareSource understands the challenges consumers face navigating the health system and is transforming health care with industry-leading programs that improve the health and well-being of our members.

For more, visit www.caresource.com, follow @caresource on Twitter, or like CareSource on Facebook.

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