Nebraska Health Network Chief Medical Officer To Present On How To Become An Accountable Community Of Health

On July 22, Michael Romano, MD, will present the NHN’s efforts on “Working Together to Address Social Determinants of Health.” His presentation will discuss clinical approaches to improve patient outcomes and become an accountable community of health.

The Nebraska Health Network is the largest Accountable Care Organization (ACO) in the state of Nebraska and works to positively impact the health of our community. As an experienced provider of value-based care, the NHN has identified social determinants of health in our local area that are preventing patients from reaching their health and clinical goals. Dr. Romano’s presention will help providers break down the stigma of SDoH.

To help address health inequities, the NHN launched CommunityRelay.com in 2020. Community Relay is a free, online platform that connects users with local support services and programs. Users can search the nationwide directory based on categories like food, housing, financial assistance or transportation.

“I’m honored to be a part of this year’s Heartland Interprofessional Education (HIPE) Conference. ACOs like the Nebraska Health Network have a unique perspective on patient health outcomes because we approach it from a population level. We’re accountable for the health of tens of thousands of patients and our success depends on our ability to operationalize the work of identifying and addressing social determinants and health equity. Hopefully, our population experience can provide some practical tips for clinicians working with much smaller groups of patients,” Dr. Romano said.