New England Alliance for Health (NEAH) provides two types of services and programs for members:
- Core services and programs in which all members participate. Core services and programs are funded by all members through member assessments.
- Other services and programs in which members may choose to participate on a voluntary basis. Other services and programs are funded separately by the members who use each service.
Core services and programs
Supply chain and pharmacy services
This collaborative program utilizes the purchasing leverage of the combined membership to help contain health care costs through effective negotiation of pharmaceuticals, supplies, services and capital acquisition contracts. This program also utilizes affinity groups to improve clinical, operational and management services performance.
As part of this program, NEAH:
- Leverages the volume of New England Alliance for Health members to access preferred pricing and to negotiate better contract language and terms, enabling members to better control health care costs.
- Provides forums and assists members to work collectively to:
- Pursue contracting opportunities that reduce costs for pharmaceuticals, supplies, services and capital equipment
- Support initiatives across New England Alliance for Health to reduce members’ supply chain and pharmacy costs, improve operational performance and improve clinical care
- Enhance the effectiveness of supply chain and pharmacy services through networking and sharing of best practices
- Discuss and share solutions to common problems, issues and concerns
- Coordinates formal continuing education programs for members’ pharmacists and other professionals
Professional staff education and development
This program supports affinity groups and focuses on access to resources and expertise and providing continuing education programs to assist the members develop and retain professional staff.
As part of this program, NEAH:
- Develops ongoing programs to assist members in the professional growth and development of nursing and other professional staff. Also provides access to continuing education for nurses and other clinicians. These efforts are needed to increase the retention of qualified nurses and other professional staff and to improve their leadership capabilities.
- Provides a forum and supports effective collaboration for members to:
- Share best practices in nurse and staff development, retention, and multi-disciplinary performance improvement
- Discuss and share solutions to common problems, issues and concerns
- Engage multi-disciplinary resources to assist in specific projects (i.e., care coordination, didactic and simulated training and career development)
Program administration
In this program, the leadership of New England Alliance for Health oversees programs and services of New England Alliance for Health, including the affinity groups and continuing education to ensure that New England Alliance for Health is fulfilling its mission to assist its members improve the health of the communities they serve.
As part of this program, NEAH:
- Oversees the programs and provision of services to New England Alliance for Health members, including:
- Monitoring the quality of the programs and services provided under the Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H) master contract
- Coordinating and managing D-H staff charged with providing the resources and expertise to support New England Alliance for Health core and other services
- Understanding and monitoring Member expectations and soliciting feedback
- Participating in ongoing program design
- Managing the budget and other administrative functions of New England Alliance for Health
- Serves as coordinator for peer affinity groups to enable Member staff and Member Trustees to meet regularly with their counterparts from other members to share best practices, develop collaborative solutions to common problems, and pursue continuing education opportunities.
Other services and programs
Property and casualty insurance program
A voluntary program that utilizes the purchasing leverage of the combined membership to help contain health care costs through effective negotiation of property and casualty insurance premiums on a group basis. A core element of the program is following strong risk management and loss prevention procedures.
As part of this program, NEAH:
- Assists members with approaching the commercial insurance market to purchase medical liability and other property and casualty insurance coverage at lower costs associated with group purchasing contracts.
- Provides insurance program administration and represents members in discussions with insurers to obtain best prices and services for risk management, loss prevention and claims administration.
Licenses
NEAH negotiates certain licenses on a combined basis to help contain health care costs and provide access to new technology that may not be as affordable on a single-entity basis. members participate in these licenses on a voluntary basis.