Private-Public Collaboration Seeks to Improve Health Outcomes
Navvis and Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Population Health today announced the country’s first private sector-supported academic chair in population health – The Navvis Professorship of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University. The Professorship will focus on identifying methods and best practices to create systemic, effective and scalable improvements in health.
The endowment of $2 million, funded by Navvis, a population health company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, will support the work of a dedicated faculty member at the Jefferson College of Population Health. The academic research will be national in scope, with the goal of improving intervention effectiveness in real-world applications.
The Professorship represents an important shift in thinking regarding ways to improve health and reduce healthcare costs. The academic research supported by the endowment will build on and extend a robust foundation of evidence to improve the quality and patient-centeredness of healthcare delivery while engaging all the relevant stakeholders to make it easier for people to actively participate in their health and healthcare decisions. The academic research will explore critical population health topics such as:
- Social determinants of health,
- Physician and patient engagement, including shared decision making
- Person-centric care,
- Provider network alignment, and
- Payment transformation strategies.
“Understanding population health is key in reimagining the future of healthcare delivery in America, and with this gift Navvis is helping drive that vision,” said Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, President and CEO, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health. “Endowed professorships keep us on the frontiers of research and are a springboard into the future of discovery.”
“Establishing an endowed professorship devoted to the health and wellbeing of whole communities is an invaluable investment in humanity,” added Dr. David B. Nash, Dean, Jefferson College of Population Health. “This professorship, the first collaboration of its kind between an academic entity and a private sector company, demonstrates a commitment to translating the scientific method into real-world practice. We are grateful for the support that will ultimately empower people to take charge of their health through research, education, and programs.”
The Navvis Professorship of Population Health is one component of a broader partnership between Navvis and Thomas Jefferson University. The two entities will conduct primary research with healthcare executives at health plans and health systems to uncover new insights regarding their population health initiatives and challenges.
“Along with our academic and primary research with our partners at Jefferson, we are building ecosystems that break down silos and provide care for the real-world healthcare needs of people,” said Mike Farris, Chairman and CEO, Navvis. “The Navvis Professorship of Population Health represents our commitment to life-changing healthcare – improving the everyday interactions that people have with their health.”
For more information about the The Navvis Professorship of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University, please visit: www.navvishealthcare.com/professorship