Howard County Provider Forum Looks at Healthcare Issues

Matthew Castner, Director of Population Health at Howard County Medical Center, outlined the work of the newly-formed Howard County Provider Forum when he was guest speaker at a recent Columbia-Patuxent Rotary Club meeting. Matt is chairing the Forum, which was established by an order from Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball.

The Forum has two specific goals: (1) monitor evolving federal priorities pertaining to health and social services, and try to translate the potential impact of those changes to our local community; and (2) to review policy and local data to determine a recommendation on the need or feasibility for a second hospital in Howard County. It consists of 29 members, ncluding leaders from local healthcare institutions and knowledgeable citizens.

The Forum’s broad aim is to improve access to care, continuity of care, healthcare system stability, reduce unnecessary use of the Emergency Department and wait times, and to improve patient outcomes. Because these aims are so encompassing, seven focus groups are looking into specific aspects and issues over the next year. Matt said their rubric is “what is the local health care system we want to have in our county? Using that as a map, if we're going to ‘drive the car,’ we need to know where we're going.”

Instead of producing hefty written reports that would probably remain unread, each focus group each quarter is charged with making one concrete, implementable recommendation in its specific area. “By going through these four quarterly cycles in parallel, that gives us potentially 24 good ideas,” Matt said. “They’re certainly not all going to be winners. Some of them are going to be stinkers, but even the ones that don't come together will give us a clearer picture of where our local health care system is sort of robust, and where it maybe needs additional attention.”

Matt said the forum “will be a big part of my life for the next year. I’m really excited about this. I have a lot of good people who are working with me. Doing this sort of thing locally has been on my Christmas wish list for a very long time.”

Columbia-Patuxent-Rotary is the largest and most active of the seven Rotary clubs in Howard County. It features guest speakers each week at its Friday morning meetings at JAM Eateries.