Enhancing health equity with inVio Health

The inVio Health Network (inVio), part of Prisma Health, is a large clinically integrated network in South Carolina consisting of nearly 5,600 independent and community physicians and non-physician providers, as well as 19 hospitals across the state. The network sought to collaborate with CVS Accountable Care in 2023 driven by a need for additional resources and support as they deepened their work in value-based care. We spoke with Dr. Drew Albano, Chief Medical Officer at inVio, to explore how their partnership with CVS ACO has helped elevate their health equity efforts and improve overall quality of care. 

How important is health equity in Greenville, South Carolina, and your surrounding area? 
 
Health equity is critical, especially in South Carolina, where historically, certain subsets of the population faced significant disadvantages. In the communities where we serve, like Greenville and Columbia, health equity is a focal point of our daily work. Many of the challenges limiting optimal health outcomes stem from health inequities, social determinants of health, and social vulnerabilities. We’re deeply involved in identifying these needs and ensuring they’re satisfactorily resolved. 

What challenges have you experienced in integrating health equity processes? 
 
Like many healthcare organizations, we often serve as a social safety net, responsible for not only delivering and coordinating care but also with aligning patients to available community resources. This dual responsibility is a significant challenge, as it involves helping patients navigate both their healthcare and socioeconomic needs. Partnering with internal teams and leveraging external vendor solutions has been helpful, but there are still many opportunities for improvement. The partnership with CVS Accountable Care has been crucial in further identifying and addressing these needs. 
 
Can you talk more about your partnership with CVS Accountable Care to address health equity issues? 
 
CVS Accountable Care has been instrumental, especially in the analytics space. They’ve helped us better identify social needs by providing incredibly informative demographic data. For example, we identified education-related discrepancies highlighting the need to improve health literacy – an issue often linked to lower educational levels. We also found significant variability in housing stability, particularly in Greenville County, where rapid changes to the housing market have created challenges for lower-income individuals seeking care. CVS’s support in these areas has been invaluable. 
 
What successes have you experienced so far? 
 
While the relationship is still relatively new, we’ve already seen successes, particularly in identifying and addressing health equity needs within our communities. CVS Accountable Care has helped us recognize obvious but previously overlooked issues, such as education gaps, food insecurity, and housing instability. They’ve also highlighted areas where we face primary care deserts and specialty access issues, especially in behavioral health. Using CVS’s MinuteClinic capabilities, we’re starting to meet these needs more effectively, despite some resource limitations. 
 
What advice would you give to an organization considering joining an accountable care organization (ACO)? 
 
I’d encourage any organization considering joining an ACO to think strategically about where healthcare is heading. As populations change and value-based care becomes more prevalent, partnering with an established and successful entity like CVS Accountable Care can position an organization for success in an evolving healthcare landscape. While it’s certainly not an easy decision, it’s crucial to consider the long-term benefits of such a partnership. 
 
Learn more about CVS Accountable Care’s approach to health equity here.