The University of Kansas Hospital to Leverage Cerner’s Population Health Management Platform for Rural Communities

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Feb. 25, 2016 -- The University of Kansas Hospital, a nationally recognized academic medical center, has extended its collaboration with Cerner, a global leader in health care technology, to leverage Cerner’s HealtheIntent℠ population health management platform to coordinate and manage care in rural Kansas communities.

“Managing the health of populations requires new strategic approaches as the health care landscape continues to shift from a volume to value-driven system,” said Brad Carey, vice president and general manager, population health, Cerner. “Providing meaningful patient data beyond the traditional acute care setting will enable care providers to improve the quality of care and focus on proactive health and prevention."

The University of Kansas Hospital will utilize HealtheCare℠, Cerner’s knowledge-driven, community care management solution, which is powered by algorithms to identify, stratify and prioritize individuals for assignment to aligned care managers. The solution enables providers to conduct comprehensive and relevant assessments, which establishes condition-specific goals and interventions to enable optimal health outcomes.

HealtheCare will be leveraged as part of The University of Kansas Hospital’s Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative. The collaborative is an innovative care delivery and payment model to improve rural Kansas’ heart health and stroke outcomes, supporting reduced total cost of care. The three-year grant was awarded to The University of Kansas Hospital as part of the Healthcare Innovation Awards, sponsored by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“Rural communities have many patients with chronic conditions, such as heart disease and stroke, where care coordination and patient education are important to improve outcomes,” said Dr. Robert Moser, director of the Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative of The University of Kansas Hospital. “Leveraging HealtheCare will enable our Heart and Stroke Collaborative partners and local health coaches to engage at-risk patients at the right time, providing the optimal care and resources they need to assist in their treatment.”

The extended agreement is part of a broader strategic collaboration in place since 2012. The University of Kansas Hospital was one of the first health care organizations in the Midwest to include their primary care physicians in Cerner’s Primary Health Network. Cerner’s Primary Health Network model combines the foundational wellness offerings with innovative population health management services and technology to create an employer-driven network where providers and individuals are rewarded for health improvement and productivity.

“Cerner and The University of Kansas Hospital are jointly committed to the improvement of health in our communities,” said Chris Wilson, executive director of innovation, The University of Kansas Hospital. “Proactively engaging individuals in their health care will enable deeper insights for entire populations that can transform the health care industry.”

Cerner’s population health management platform and solutions will be featured in Booth 2032 at HIMSS16, Feb. 29 – March 4, at Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas.

About Cerner

Cerner’s health information technologies connect people, information and systems at more than 20,000 facilities worldwide. Recognized for innovation, Cerner solutions assist clinicians in making care decisions and enable organizations to manage the health of populations. The company also offers an integrated clinical and financial system to help health care organizations manage revenue, as well as a wide range of services to support clients’ clinical, financial and operational needs. Cerner’s mission is to contribute to the systemic improvement of health care delivery and the health of communities.  On February 2, 2015, Cerner Corporation acquired substantially all of the assets, and assumed certain liabilities, of the Siemens Health Services business from Siemens AG. Nasdaq:CERN. For more information about Cerner, visit cerner.com, read our blog at cerner.com/blog, connect with us on Twitter at twitter.com/cerner and on Facebook at facebook.com/cerner. Our website, blog, Twitter account and Facebook page contain a significant amount of information about Cerner, including financial and other information for investors.

The University of Kansas Hospital is the region's premier academic medical center, providing a full range of care. The hospital is affiliated with the University of Kansas Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions, and their various leading-edge research projects. The constantly growing facility contains 746 staffed beds (plus 24 bassinets) and serves more than 31,000 inpatients annually.  Twelve of its medical and surgical specialty areas are ranked nationally by the U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospital” lists, including Cancer (#29), Cardiology & Heart Surgery (#21), Diabetes & Endocrinology (#20), Ear, Nose & Throat (#17), Gastroenterology and GI Surgery (#24), Geriatrics (#16), Gynecology (#38), Nephrology (#33), Neurology & Neurosurgery (#12), Orthopedics (#33-Tied), Pulmonology (#12) and Urology (#36).  The cancer program is part of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated program.  The hospital has received Magnet nursing designation, reflecting the quality of care throughout the hospital, an honor awarded to only 6.6 percent of the hospitals nationwide.  The hospital also houses the region's only accredited burn center, the area's only nationally accredited Level I Trauma Center and the area’s first Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center recognized by The Joint Commission.  For more information, visit kumed.com.

Media Contact: [email protected]