Dr. Jeff Brenner never dreamed his work with Camden’s hospitals to lower medical costs and improve care for patients would come so far, so fast.
On Tuesday, the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers announced plans to launch a national center to improve care for high-need, high-cost patients. The AARP, The Atlantic Philanthropies and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation together are providing $8.7 million to fund the as-yet-unnamed center.
The money will be spent over the next four years. The center will offer an annual conference in Philadelphia, expand the coalition’s student “hot-spotting” program, and build a website stocked with curriculum, resources and best practices for others around the country. Brenner anticipates hiring a handful of additional people over a year to support the project.
The coalition will continue its local work, including an ambitious project offering wrap-around services and housing for qualifying patients with chronic conditions.