Integrated Care at Southcentral Foundation
Health care facilities all over the U.S. follow a model of patient care that is disease-focused. There is a diagnosis and the disease is treated. At Southcentral Foundation (SCF), services are centered on customer-owners. This approach is not typical and the health care industry has taken notice, both in the U.S. and abroad.
This model of care, referred to as the Nuka System of Care, offers greater successes in customer-owner health outcomes. SCF has received several awards for its innovative approach to health care and is recognized worldwide as a best practices model for health care delivery, operational efficiencies and its success in holistic services.
Customer-owner wellness is at the center of all services and there is a team of people to help. In primary care, the team includes:
• Provider
• Nurse case manager
• Case management support
• Behaviorist
• Nutritionist
• Pharmacist
When customer-owners visit primary care, they also have the opportunity to connect with other SCF services. Having the chance to get to know a team of people who are working together for holistic wellness can make all the difference.
“The integrated care team model allows us to practice proactive and preventative primary care versus reactive and crisis care,” said SCF Medical Director Dr. Verlyn Corbett. “This is a healthier approach for both integrated care teams and customer-owners.”
Integrated care teams sit in the same work space where they are able to easily communicate and build meaningful working relationships with one another. Customer-owners benefit when they see their provider about a cold or routine visit and end up talking about other concerns. Whether they have concerns about depression, improving diet or quitting smoking, one or more members of their team is close by and ready to help.
“I do not believe you can find such a robust medical care team elsewhere,” said SCF RN Case Manager Dorothy Griffith. “As a registered nurse case manager, I have the privilege to work with and build relationships with each team member and customer-owner on our panel. These relationships build trust and respect and provide better health outcomes. Being able to contribute to customer-owners’ positive health outcomes provides me personal and professional satisfaction.”
