Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Innovation Improves Access

Compassionate and cost effective is how Memorial Healthcare System, based in Hollywood, Fla., describes an innovative program to improve the health of the community it serves in southern Broward County. Memorial’s Health Intervention with Targeted Services (HITS) program also aims to reduce avoidable hospital admissions, emergency room visits and uncompensated care costs and tap into community, state and federal resources. Working with community organizations and agencies, HITS teams make door-to-door visits in targeted neighborhoods—those with a large percentage of uninsured patients with chronic conditions or high ER usage—to conduct outreach and determine eligibility. HITS helps uninsured and underinsured residents find a medical home and enroll in Medicaid or Medicare, if they are eligible, and encourages those with chronic conditions to participate in Memorial’s disease management program. Since 2006, the HITS teams have served 6,369 households, touching 13,516 individuals. As a result, 2,468 individuals have secured a medical home. For more information, contact Steve Sampier, director of community services, at ssampier@mhs.net.