Five questions for Beth Lock, CEO/executive director, Indiana Business Health Collaborative

Five questions for Beth Lock, CEO/executive director, Indiana Business Health Collaborative

1 . For readers who have never heard of the Indiana Business Health Collaborative, what problem is IBHC trying to solve, and why should a Hoosier worker or employer care?

Lock: Healthcare is one of the most important issues facing Hoosier businesses and families. The Indiana Business Health Collaborative brings together organizations representing every part of the healthcare industry (providers, payers, pharmaceuticals and others) along with Hoosier employers to address issues related to healthcare access, affordability and quality.

The goal of the IBHC is to look for solutions to our state’s most important healthcare challenges through innovative partnerships, market-based approaches and evidence-based recommendations.

2. A report commissioned by IBHC found Indiana lags in primary care and preventive care, even though those services can reduce avoidable emergency and hospital care. Why is primary care such an important part of the cost conversation?

Lock: Primary care providers are often the front door to the broader health care system. They oversee preventative health and wellness initiatives for their patients — like routine exams, annual lab work, and chronic disease management — and aid in coordinated care across the healthcare system. Because of this close relationship, they know their patients best.

Strong evidence suggests that preventive care increases healthier outcomes and reduces healthcare spending. Hospitals and emergency rooms have the highest cost of services due to 24-hour care, extensive regulations and specialized workforce. By preventing disease and addressing health problems before they become severe, a strong primary care system can help reduce much more costly medical interventions such as ER visits and hospitalizations.

3. Indiana’s healthcare debate often pits affordability against access, especially for hospitals that are major local employers. Is that a false choice, or is there a real tradeoff policymakers and employers have to face?

Lock: A healthcare system that is unaffordable ultimately becomes inaccessible for employers, families and even patients who delay or forgo care because of cost. At the same time, providing access to quality care is expensive, especially when demand for healthcare services is increasing due to our aging population and increasing rates of chronic illness.

The goal, however, should not be to choose between affordability and access. It should be to redesign the system so both improve together — to build a healthcare system that delivers better health outcomes at a price that employers, families, taxpayers and communities can sustain over the long term. Exploring ways to build that system is the focus of the IBHC.

4. IBHC says it wants to lower costs without jeopardizing quality or access. What would that look like in practical terms for a Hoosier family using healthcare?

Lock: Working collectively on cost, quality and access through collaborative and evidenced-based practices means Hoosier families will have more predictable healthcare expenses and improved health outcomes.

If Indiana strengthens its system of primary and preventive care, families can build a strong, ongoing relationship with a provider to keep them healthy. By expanding our Hoosier healthcare workforce, the hope is that families will have access to the doctors they choose without long waiting times, regardless of whether they live in a rural or urban community.

By exploring more creative approaches to paying for healthcare, through direct-to-employer relationships or innovative care models, patients see greater benefits while employers see lower annual healthcare spending.

5. You previously worked in government and legislative affairs for both Allen County and Parkview Health. How does that Fort Wayne experience shape the way you think about statewide healthcare reform?

Lock: Northeast Indiana is growing rapidly, driven by its diverse urban and rural demographics, government efficiency, world-class health care and strong sense of community. The experience at these two organizations shaped the way I think about statewide reform, having had the opportunity to see growth, innovation and collaboration play out in both the governmental and private sectors.

The Indiana Business Health Collaborative is comprised of employers and health care stakeholders across the state. Using best practices already seen and demonstrated in northeast Indiana fuels my desire to elevate the IBHC’s impact on the healthcare landscape of the state, through both advocacy efforts and the wisdom of our members.