Community Impact: Unite Iowa Adds 12,500 Programs to Unite Us Platform to Increase Access to Vital Community Resources

The state’s leading coordinated care network, operated by CyncHealth Iowa, celebrates a milestone year serving Iowa residents using Unite Us’ closed-loop referral platform.

NEW YORK, APRIL 29 2024 – Unite Us, the nation’s trusted technology partner for social care transformation, celebrates a milestone year for the Unite Iowa network, the premier coordinated care network in the state that is operated by CyncHealth Iowa, the designated health information exchange (HIE) for Nebraska and Iowa. The network added 12,500 programs to the Unite Us closed-loop referral platform in 2023 through its partnership with United Way of the Midlands 211, an organization providing multiple points of access for those seeking assistance.

The expansion, facilitated by the scalability of the Unite Us platform, significantly enhances Unite Us and CyncHealth Iowa’s goal to revolutionize access to care for Iowa residents seeking health-related social needs (HRSNs) services. As a result, Unite Iowa was able to serve close to 2,000 Iowans and increase resolved cases by as much as 128% in certain counties throughout the year. 

The Unite Iowa coordinated care network uses Unite Us’ closed-loop referral platform to empower healthcare providers to identify patients with HRSNs and connect them to necessary care in the Unite Iowa accountable care network through automated electronic referrals. This ensures that individuals seeking help are connected to the appropriate CBOs that can provide the support they need, including assistance with physical health, food insecurity, housing, transportation, and government programs, and then track outcomes ensuring individuals receive help, making the process more organized and efficient.

“We at CyncHealth Iowa are proud of the growth of Unite Iowa and its ability to collaborate through a single platform, which focuses on addressing health-related social needs,” said Dr. Jaime Bland, President and CEO of CyncHealth Iowa. “This allows us to collectively enhance the welfare of all individuals who require social services. We are excited about the achievements of Unite Iowa as a network and look forward to facilitating more connections for individuals to access care, using Unite Us’ closed-loop referral technology.”

Community-based organizations (CBOs) and healthcare providers use Unite Us technology to create a safety net to prevent people from being overlooked. For example, Eastern Iowa Health Center (EIHC), a Unite Iowa partner, offers free breast and cervical cancer screenings for eligible women through the Care For Yourself (CFY) grant program. Using Unite Us, EIHC is able to determine eligibility for free screenings and efficiently send and receive secure closed-loop referrals to community organizations serving mothers in need.

“Understanding the critical need for efficiency and accessibility, we partnered with our Unite Us Customer Success Manager to develop a process for the CFY program that not only mirrors their previous application but also optimizes the referral process and ensures the capture of essential eligibility data,” said Erin Raftery, Care Manager at Eastern Iowa Health Center.  

EIHC has successfully collaborated with their local Women, Infants, Children (WIC) office, using the Unite Us Platform to streamline referrals of mothers visiting the clinic to the WIC program. This innovation allows the EIHC staff to access referrals remotely, eliminating the need to physically retrieve them from a fax machine. It simplifies the process of directing the referral to the appropriate county or office efficiently. Additionally, the EIHC Social Worker can monitor whether a mother has successfully connected with the WIC team or if additional follow-up is necessary to ensure they receive the services they require.

“As we reflect on the success and impact of the Unite Iowa coordinated care network, we are incredibly proud of the strides we’ve made in advancing our mission to connect Iowa residents with vital resources through our referral technology,” said Taylor Justice, Co-founder and President at Unite Us. “The success of our coordinated care network is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in addressing the complex needs of our communities. We remain steadfast in our commitment to empowering individuals and improving outcomes across the state.”

Health plans, community-based organizations, and other providers seeking to connect their clients and patients to the Unite Iowa network are encouraged to reach out at uniteus.com/contact/.