Michele Kratz joined Upward Health late last fall as its vice president of clinical services. Kratz, a registered nurse, oversees the organization’s national multidisciplinary staff. She comes to the position after working for about eight years in a variety of roles at Cigna Health-Spring, including vice president of health services, director of operations and director of case-management strategies.
Kratz discusses her new position at Upward Health, and shares her perspective on potential demand for more in-home health services and behavioral health care needs in Rhode Island.
PBN: You are tasked with overseeing Upward Health’s national multidisciplinary field staff. Could you explain a little bit about what that means?
KRATZ: Think of Upward Health as a patient-centered medical home, or comprehensive primary care team, that cares for patients in their home and in the community. Our model is robust, and we excel in caring for the sickest and frailest patients by meeting our patients where they are.
Our team is comprised of [doctors and nurse practitioners] who provide primary medical and behavioral health, as well as clinicians – therapists, pharmacists, dieticians, paramedics, [registered nurses, social workers], etc. Last, and certainly not least, our team includes community health workers.
Our CHWs are an essential part of our model; our CHWs are experts in finding and engaging patients who are often overwhelmed and medically tired. We are successful largely because we know that this sort of relationship often takes a long time to develop. Upward Health not only understands this but embraces it.
PBN: What sort of experience are you bringing to your new role?
KRATZ: I have been an RN since 1989, and have worked with Medicare and Medicaid patients for my entire career. I moved into managed care – Medicaid and Medicare – in 1998, and have led clinical teams throughout the United States. I have a passion for the most vulnerable patients to receive high-quality, affordable and accessible care that they deserve.
PBN: Do you have any priorities as you settle in?
KRATZ: I’ve learned a great deal since I started. My priorities are 1) continue to refine Upward Health’s current clinical model to be as efficient and effective as possible, 2) adopt innovation and evolve our model to support our mission, and 3) scale and grow to care for more patients who need our care.
PBN: Do you anticipate more of a demand for in-home health services as baby boomers age? How does Upward Health plan to keep up?
KRATZ: Yes, and not just for baby boomers but also for our younger populations; millennials, in particular. Upward Health is very well positioned to care for all vulnerable and complex populations; we are nimble, and able to stay ahead of the innovation curve to deliver best-in-class care to our patients.
We offer a unique solution for a complex population. We are a diverse, seasoned and talented team who has a demonstrated track record of providing innovative, high-quality, affordable care to those patients who need it most.
PBN: Upward Health also provides behavioral health primary care. Have you been able to get a sense of the depth of Rhode Island’s behavioral health needs, especially when it comes to substance use disorder?
KRATZ: Sadly, Rhode Island has been hit hard by substance use disorder, the opioid epidemic, in particular. Many of our patients struggle with SUD, a vicious, chronic and often fatal disease. We have seen positive results, I believe largely due to Upward Health’s ability to establish a respectful and supportive relationship with our patients; we excel in finding patients with SUD, and build a relationship of safety and trust.
We partner with our patients to not just care for SUD and behavioral health care needs; we consider the entire person. It’s incredible to see our teams make progress with patients who have not received care in years.
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN staff writer. She can be reached at Graham@PBN.com.
