Rev. Enoch Fuzz and Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church hosted a luncheon reception for General Hospital CEO Joseph Webb, Ph.D. on February 12. In attendance were many pastors, community leaders and U.S. Attorney of the Middle District of Tennessee David Rivera.
The luncheon was part of Webb’s outreach into the community to transform Nashville General into an outcome-based Hospital.
“Healthcare has shifted into a whole new paradigm. It has shifted from fee for service to fee for outcomes,” said Webb.
Webb’s plan is for Nashville General to provide care that shows population health improvement, not just in the hospital, but also in the community as a whole.
Webb recounted reading concerns about healthcare disparities in the early 2000s. He said that he “realized that we need to start doing something about the way those disparities are ripping apart our communities. “
One example Webb discussed is the infant mortality rate for Tennessee.
“You will find some populations [in the state] that will have a higher rate than what you see in a third world country,” said Webb.
As a result, Webb started a program in Memphis to create a faith-based initiative, the Congregational Health Network. Webb discovered that the faith based community has a great social network that allows you to engage the community and get back the feedback you need to design the perfect programs for healthcare delivery.
“We started with 20 churches,” said Webb. “It’s now right around 600.”
Webb’s outreach to the community is a natural extension of how he believes healthcare should work.
“I always say that if you want to know what people are thinking, go and ask them,” he said. “You don’t need to design programs and hope they will meet their needs-just ask them about the programs that they desire, then design your program with excellence around what they need.”
The luncheon was an important building block to gathering information in order to build Nashville General’s program of delivering more personal service.
Webb said that his goal is “not to make the hospital the primary source, but a part of wellness” in working with “population health improvement.”
Former Councilman Jamie Isabel commended Webb on his community based approach saying it is a “bold, brave, and aggressive mission,” and pledged his support.
