b'MAE DOUGLAS, BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR 2021-2024, ON HOW THE RIGHT PARTNER MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCEDue diligence matters to Mae Douglas. Her role as boardfocused on the same mission of value-based care.chair put her in the position to listen, learn and lead on behalf of her health system and community. After the announcement last summer, Cagle called her health care peers around the state to tell them that Cone So, the prospect of Cone Health becoming part of RisantHealth would soon become part of Risant Health.Health was exciting, meaningfuland daunting.Everyones aware of Risant Healthits been in The Were all community people, and we understood theNew York Times and The Wall Street Journaland they weight of this decision, Mae says. We had earnestrecognize this is a different health care model, Mae says. conversations around what this would mean forThis is where health care is going, and Cone Health is employees, community members, our physicians andahead of the curve.governance.I didnt want yesColleagues Like Mae, many of her peers have served on the board formen and women. Icongratulated Cagle; seven or eight years; others for a year or two. Either way,wanted some skeptics,better, they wanted to it was a heavy decision, she says. We wanted to fulfill ourpeople who wouldlearn more.fiduciary responsibility, ask the tough questions and create the best opportunity for Cone Health and this community.ask hard questions.Theres interest from There was a lot of factual and anecdotal data to evaluate,We conductedthe payors, as well, but it was also very personal to all of us. good, hard businessMae says. They want negotiations to maketo make sure that when Each time Cagle and her team of physician leaders metthey reimburse for care, with their counterparts at Kaiser Permanente to discusscertain we werepatients stay healthy.the possibility of becoming part of Risant Health, theyacting in the interests reported to Mae and her team of board members. of our community.Thats good news Along with financialbecause, as Hochrein The physicians had gone into the process with a healthyconsiderations, wepoints out, were turning amount of skepticism. They were open-minded buta big shipand we insistent on asking questions and gaining clarity to makemeasured the value toneed a lot of people at sure that becoming part of Risant Health was not only thethe people we serve.the helm.right move for Cone Health, but one that would elevate the work the organization had done over the last decade MARY JO CAGLE, MDKaiser Permanente is to build healthier communities and bring more focus to CEO a major national player the importance of preventive medicine. with influence in D.C., Mae says. In addition As the physicians, and then the board, started to learnto community partners more about the culture, the relationships and what it wasand donors, insurance like to interact with their people, we started to get reallypayors and other like-minded health systems, this effort positive feedback, Mae says. Ultimately, it came down torequires advocacy. Kaiser Permanente has the voice and measuring against four important considerations. the resources to get things done.Mission and community. The right people and partnerships can make all the Cultural compatibility.difference.Governance and local autonomy.This move shows how Cone Health keeps its mission at Economic considerations. the forefront of everything they do, Mae says. From the In addition to shifting to value-based, proactive wellnessbeginning, Cone Health has pledged to provide care to care, Cone Health has made a $150 million commitment toeveryone, regardless of the ability to pay. This means we health equity. go into underserved communities to ensure access to care. One of the most important factors for the community to We have the opportunity to influence a national healthknow is that Cone Health, their community asset, is not care model that doesnt focus on how many servicesgoing anywhere. We will be stronger and we will have providers offer, but how providers help people becomemore resources. We will continue to provide high-value healthier, Mae says. This new business model iscare at affordable rates in communities where there has intriguing to the board, as is the opportunity for thoughthistorically not been adequate access. As it has for the leadership among a cohort of five or six health systemspast 72 years, Cone Health remains committed to that. the giving effect202417'