The local health care system in Louisiana was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A collaboration of local community clinics, the Louisiana Public Health Institute (LPHI), and other partners decided to work on rebuilding the primary care capacity and building the foundation for a high performing, sustainable, community-based approach to health care and population health.
Participating providers take ownership over all activities, including data collection and analysis through a registry, regular performance reports, and periodic meetings to review data and identify and share best practices. This incentive and support structure has generated very high levels of provider participation in the collaborations, which, based on results from the four longest-running initiatives, have significantly improved quality, reduced costs, and generated a positive return on investment.