Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) announced today that it has created MyHealth Bundles, a patient-centered, value-based approach to managing some of the most common and costly health conditions.
MyHealth Bundles provide employers with more transparent, predictable pricing by prioritizing consistent care. The model encourages care coordination, reducing employers’ overall costs and building a concierge service experience. Employees also benefit, with MyHealth Bundles simplifying access to providers and streamlining appointments—supported by a patient navigator to answer questions and help guide the way. The model’s built-in efficiencies often result in lower out-of-pocket payments, too.
The MyMaternityHealth bundle is available now and combines maternity and select newborn services that an expectant mother and baby need from enrollment until 12 weeks after delivery. VUMC has been piloting the MyMaternityHealth program with its own employees and families and certificated employees covered by the Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) health plan.
“All of our health plan decisions are about improving the health of our employees in order to improve the educational outcomes of our students, and we’ve proven that these two elements are closely related,” said David Hines, Executive Director of Benefits for MNPS. “The MyMaternityHealth program means we have healthier, happier babies and moms, and we’re reducing costs for our health plan at the same time.”
The potential savings from MyMaternityHealth is so significant that MNPS has been able to lower the health plan member’s copayment to zero, saving employees at least $2,500 annually. The substantial savings coupled with the high-quality maternity experience are earning the MyMaternityHealth program high scores in MNPS employee satisfaction.
“I can’t speak highly enough of my patient navigator,” said Lisa Shadrick, MNPS employee and bundles patient. “She’s my go-to. She was able to answer all my questions about the bundle and always got back to me immediately. It was also nice not to have to worry about finances … I didn’t have to worry about copays or bills or dealing with my insurance.”
“The whole [pregnancy] has just been a lot less stressful this time,” another MNPS patient reported. “I know that I can reach out to my patient navigator and she’ll take care of it.”
VUMC staff participating in the pilot have also been responding positively. “It was so great knowing that I could go to my patient navigator as a starting point,” one VUMC employee said. “Especially as a first-time mom, I didn’t know where to begin.”
To provide convenience and peace of mind, telehealth visits are available for any qualified MyMaternityHealth bundle patient. Prenatal telehealth services include a complimentary prenatal telehealth kit consisting of a blood pressure cuff/monitor, hand-held fetal doppler, the option of a scale and in-person instruction on how to use the kit. After the baby is born, patients also have access to tele-lactation consultation services, another exclusive benefit of MyMaternityHealth.
Want to learn more? Register to attend our upcoming webinar on Thursday, October 15: “Future-focused Healthcare: What Bundles Can Do for Employers."
And don’t miss two new videos from the Vanderbilt Health Employer Solutions team:
• An animated video breaking down the benefits of the bundled payment model
• A video interview with David Hines, Executive Director of Benefits for MNPS, and Lisa Shadrick, MNPS employee, who recently delivered a bundle of joy without a bundle of bills!
