BATON ROUGE (press release) — The Louisiana Department of Health has released its outcomes report from its fiscal year (FY) 2022 business plan, and its second business plan, detailing key initiatives and policy goals for FY 2023.
According to the outcomes report for the FY 2022 business plan, LDH successfully completed 95% of all deliverables and met 88% of its goals.
The FY 2023 business plan titled “Invest: Teaming Up for a Stronger LDH and a Healthier Louisiana,” contains 18 initiatives, 45 goals and 253 deliverables under five major commitments that will measure progress and provide accountability to Louisiana residents and stakeholders.
“I am proud to see the progress made at the Louisiana Department of Health over the last year, and I appreciate the effort to measure and report that progress in an understandable and transparent way,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards. “Dr. Phillips and her team are continuing the Department’s improvements with the launch of their new business plan, which will deliver real results for Louisianans, including expanded and improved quality of healthcare outcomes and services. I appreciate the commitment to making us a stronger and healthier state.”
“After closing out a highly successful year of work, #TeamLDH has laid the groundwork for an even more promising 2023,” said Secretary Phillips. “Strategic planning by the agency and its community partners and stakeholders delivers measurable results. Our FY 2023 business plan will advance our efforts in vital areas, including behavioral, maternal, and dental health; chronic disease; workforce expansion and diversification; and transparency and accountability.”
The FY 2023 plan relies on partnerships with Louisiana schools and institutions of higher education to expand and diversify Louisiana’s healthcare workforce; as well as collaboration with local providers to further move the needle on chronic conditions like colorectal cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure, while also targeting cardiovascular disease, asthma, and Sickle Cell Disease. LDH also will leverage relationships with nonprofit organizations and other state agencies to increase access to nutritious foods and safe physical activity, and expand Medicaid access to smoking cessation programs for those seeking to quit.
Additionally, the FY 2023 business plan initiatives will include continued work with the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative (LaPQC) to make improvements in maternal health, and collaboration with legislators and providers to expand behavioral health crisis intervention services, now in place for adults, to also encompass adolescents.
Here is a look at the FY 2023 commitments and initiatives:
Improve Health and Well-being across the Lifespan of Louisianans
LDH is committed to protecting and promoting health across the lifespan of all Louisianans, a mission that aligns with the World Health Organization’s definition of health: “a state of complete mental, physical, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” The initiatives in this area are:
- Improve Health Outcomes in Pregnancy and through Childhood
- Improve Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment of Chronic Diseases
- Increase Availability of Behavioral Health Services
- Increase Access to Dental Services for Adults with Developmental Disabilities
Support Vulnerable and Underserved Populations
LDH’s mission of providing equitable, accessible healthcare is bolstered by continuous improvement in health systems and service delivery, from the safety of the water we drink to the safeguarding of our older adults in the event of a hurricane or other disaster. Such investments benefit all Louisianans across the lifespan, including our most vulnerable and underserved residents. The initiatives in this area are:
- Improve Systems to Support People Living with Sickle Cell Disease
- Increase and Strengthen Service Delivery for Vulnerable Residents
- Protect the Health, Safety, and Welfare of Nursing Home Residents in Louisiana
- Improve the Sustainability of Public Water Systems
Invest in and Empower #TeamLDH
Cultivating such a skilled workforce requires continual investment in our team members as well as bolstering our team with new talent. Building on the momentum of the FY22 business plan, LDH will continue pursuing programs that will support and strengthen its workforce, and ensuring that our team members are actively involved in building and sustaining an equitable work environment. The initiatives in this area are:
- Improve #TeamLDH Culture, Recruitment, and Retention
- Expand Workforce Development Training Program
Improve Performance, Accountability, and Compliance
LDH made significant progress in promoting transparency, accountability, and compliance of program processes in the FY 2022 business plan, and will build on this momentum in FY 2023. The development of quality improvement (QI) processes will strengthen the efficiency of program activities and provide objective measures of achievement. The initiatives in this area are:
- Establish an LDH Annual Quality Improvement Process
- Develop and Implement a Process to Reduce External Audit Findings
- Advance Prevention of Medicaid Fraud and Waste
- Develop Sustainable, Equitable, and Comprehensive Supplemental Payment Systems
Strengthen Customer Service, Partnerships and Community Relations
LDH will continue working in close communication and partnership with the individuals and communities we serve. Ongoing community engagement enables a deeper understanding of our residents’ needs, allowing us to better address the social determinants of health impacting the health outcomes of our residents. The initiatives in this area are:
- Establish the Office of Women’s Health and Community Health
- Build Statewide Capacity to Engage in Systemic Health Equity Work
- Strengthen, Expand, and Diversify Louisiana’s Healthcare Workforce
- Expand Collaborations with Community Partners
The full FY 2022 outcomes report and FY 2023 business plan can be reviewed at ldh.la.gov/businessplan.
