PROVIDING NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Discussing Pandemic Impacts on Healthcare Industry at the Chamber of Medford & Jackson County Forum Hybrid Forum Speakers: Angela Dowling, President of Regence Bluecross Blueshield of Oregon; Andrew Over, Regional Vice-President of Regence Bluecross Blueshield of Oregon. Sponsored by: Bluecross Blueshield of Oregon, February Forum
Medford, OR | February 2022 | Forum Review N early two years into the pandemic, COVID-19 still overshadows everything in health care, yet much about its long-term impact remains unknown. During the February Forum, keynote speaker, Angela Dowling, President of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon noted that one of the biggest impacts on the industry has been staffing shortages. “There is a lot of provider burnout and rightfully so; the providers have been on the frontlines of COVID dealing with healthcare issues, immunizations and extremely difficult working conditions because of the infection rates,” she said. “Specifically, 22% of Regence members – teens, seniors, care givers and health care workers – have been diagnosed with Behavioral Health.” he added. In answer to that, Regence has established a strategy that emphasizes on resilience/prevention as a core component of well-being/health maintenance, integration of behavioral health with primary care (holistic approach), routine screening (anxiety, depression, substance use) for early identification and proactive steerage into treatment, emphasis on both mental health and substance abuse treatment across the spectrum of severity, and emphasis of treatment across the spectrum of age (children, adolescents, younger adults, older adults, elderly) In addition, Regence’s unique partnership with Asante Health Network provides many different strategic facets, including improved member access to care through AHN+ network and best in class TPA and broad network access through Regence, coverage for Asante employees and their families, support of the community and the Asante Foundation, partnership on vaccine efforts, and innovative solutions for employers in southern Oregon.
“We are all on zoom videos or not as engaged as we used to be in terms of being in the community and out and about,” she said. “As we get through COVID, I am hoping people will get back out, be active, go to the park.” Regence Regional Marketing Vice President, Andrew Over highlighted Regence’s statewide community impact thus far. He states that Regence has partnered with four trusted community organizations like La Clinica, Rogue Retreat,
Angela Dowling, President of Regence Bluecross Blueshield of Oregon
Access, and the Mail Tribune to help improve access to, and engagement in preventative health care services. Overall, one million dollars will be invested in 4 regions (Lewiston – Idaho, Medford – Oregon, West Valley City – Utah, South King County – Washington State, to address social determinants of health and enhance community health worker programs. He pointed out the importance of increasing equity in access to healthcare and emphasized that Regence is committed to increasing by 10% disadvantaged communities’ access to health care. From Regence’s partnership with these trusted community organizations, options such as education programs and blood pressure monitoring at various region shelters will be possible. n
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The Business Review | February 2022
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