MGH, MGHfC collaborate with AllWays Health Partners to offer members free, unlimited access to innovative virtual Down syndrome program
July 15, 2021 (SOMERVILLE, MA) – Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) and AllWays Health Partners (AllWays) today announced a new collaboration to offer AllWays members free, unlimited access to “Down Syndrome Clinic to You” (DSC2U). AllWays is the first health plan in the country to provide this offering, which advances Mass General Brigham’s value-based care strategy to improve health outcomes and hold down costs through technology-enabled, provider-payer integration.
Down syndrome is the most common genetic condition in the United States, but only five percent of impacted families have access to a specialty service such as the Down Syndrome Program, one of the most comprehensive, multidisciplinary programs in the world. On average, one in five U.S. families must travel more than two hours to receive care at the nearest Down syndrome specialty clinic.
DSC2U, developed by MGH and MGHfC, is designed to help mitigate this gap by virtually connecting families and primary care physicians (PCPs) with personalized information and guidance for individuals with Down syndrome. DSC2U is a fully automated, algorithm-based system in which families submit symptoms and other medical information, which is analyzed electronically based on state-of-the-art guidelines designed by national Down syndrome experts. Suggestions to help individuals with Down syndrome receive health care tailored to their needs are included in a report shared with families and PCPs.
Early evidence indicates that the program is increasing adherence to U.S. national Down syndrome guidelines. A study published in Genetics in Medicine found that individuals with Down syndrome whose caregivers used DSC2U had a 1.6-fold increase in adherence to important medical recommendations.
To expand and streamline access to DSC2U, AllWays will offer the program at zero cost and with unlimited usage to members in both commercial plans and My Care Family, a MassHealth Accountable Care Organization supported by AllWays. AllWays also provides navigational support as part of the program, which is available in both English and Spanish.
“This partnership is a landmark moment for the Down syndrome community. Together with AllWays, we are beginning to democratize the most up-to-date health and wellness information about Down syndrome,” said Brian Skotko, MD, MPP, director of the Down Syndrome Program and Emma Campbell Endowed Chair on Down Syndrome at Massachusetts General Hospital.
“We are excited to collaborate with MGH and MGHfC to expand access to critical guidance and resources for providers and families in need of support,” said Steven Tringale, President of AllWays Health Partners. “This kind of collaboration is at the center of Mass General Brigham’s strategy to advance a value-based care model that improves outcomes, holds down costs and enhances the health care experience. We look forward to bringing more of these truly unique provider-payer collaborations to the market.”
Mass General Brigham’s value-based care strategy enables health care services to be delivered in the most appropriate, cost-effective, and convenient setting, whether it is an academic medical center, a community-based provider, in front of a computer, on a mobile phone, or through a combination of these venues. DSC2U is the latest major collaboration AllWays has undertaken with a Mass General Brigham hospital. In July 2020, AllWays and Newton-Wellesley Hospital launched a value-based insurance product called Allies that combines high-quality community-based care, access to academic medical centers for more complex cases, and a seamless customer experience. AllWays members can also benefit from other Mass General Brigham clinical innovations, including Path to Lifestyle Change, developed by MGH to delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, and iHeart Champion from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which provides remote medical management for patients at risk of heart attack and stroke.
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the role that technology-supported, integrated care can play in population health management, the cornerstone of our value-based care model, which is a pillar of Mass General Brigham’s long-term strategy,” said Lindsay Jubelt, MD, MS, Chief Population Health Officer, Mass General Brigham, and Chief Medical Officer, AllWays Health Partners. “We will continue to build out that model with programs and products like DSC2U and Allies that are transforming health care by putting patients at the center of a truly integrated system.”
About Massachusetts General Hospital and MassGeneral Hospital for Children
Founded in 1811, MGH is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and the third oldest hospital in the nation. Each year, the 1,100-bed academic medical center cares for more than 50,000 inpatients, records more than 1.5 million outpatient and emergency visits, and delivers more than 3,800 babies.
The MassGeneral Hospital for Children has more than 90 medical subspecialties and specialty programs, 15 surgical specialty services for infants, children and adolescents and offers complete access to the world-renowned Massachusetts General Hospital. Within child health related research, MGH and MGHfC annual expenditures focused on infants, children and disorders that affect them place these efforts among the largest across the globe.
About AllWays Health Partners
AllWays Health Partners is a health plan that serves commercial members and My Care Family, a Medicaid accountable care organization. For over 30 years, AllWays has delivered value to members and innovation to the health care system. As a member of Mass General Brigham, AllWays is advancing a highly integrated model of value-based care with one of the world’s leading health care systems to transform the customer experience and improve both care and coverage. Visit allwayshealthpartners.org to learn more.
About Mass General Brigham
Mass General Brigham (formerly Partners HealthCare) is a not-for-profit health care system that is committed to patient care, research, teaching, and service to the community locally and globally. Collaboration among our institutions and health care professionals is central to our efforts to advance our mission. Founded in 1994 by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital, Mass General Brigham includes community and specialty hospitals, a health insurance plan, a physician network, community health centers, home care and long-term care services, and other health care entities.
###
