At Intrepid Ascent, we’ve had the privilege of helping organizations navigate some of the most complex challenges in health and human services. We’ve been one of the highest-rated consulting services organizations approved to deliver CalAIM services and we’ve been a major contributor to the roll out of the NY 1115 Waiver on Long Island working with community-based organizations (CBOs), payers, and community care hubs. Our work with payers on their program support, data infrastructure, and overall strategy with their community-based partners has resulted in meaningful change that enhances service delivery, builds trust with members, and ultimately improves outcomes for the populations they serve.
It’s not just our rich history in policy, co-design, and technology strategy that allows us to deliver thoughtful, intentional, and impactful results to our clients on a regular basis. It’s also our dedication to equipping our staff with the tools and education needed to allow them to implement our approach to helping clients meet their needs. A major part of that approach, and what sets Intrepid apart from many other consulting organizations, is the deeply ingrained systems thinking embedded in our ethos.
Our Systems Thinking Approach
Systems thinking is a holistic approach to understanding how complex systems function, interact, and evolve. Rather than analyzing individual parts in isolation, systems thinking emphasizes the relationships and patterns among components within a system. Why is this such an important and integral part of our approach? Because we not only have exemplary staff equipped to contribute cross-functionally, but we have a culture that allows that knowledge to be shared openly and integrated into our project work.
For example, take a seemingly simple procurement process for a case management IT platform that a client is looking for. Many consultants can collect base functionality requirements (e.g. scheduling, documentation, and billing) and find a generic system that can meet those requirements. A systems thinking approach goes a step further and would allow the team to discover requirements that go beyond those base functions. For instance, having a tech-centric team with the ability to include a policy subject matter expert (SME) to give guidance and delve into the topics of data sharing and consent needs allowing a more accurate and detailed workflow and requirement mapping from the onset. By guiding the team through a review of these topics, we can surface client needs, align the project team, and ensure better outcomes in the vendor selection process and subsequent implementation.
Working with multiple CBOs on their program build out and workflow strategies requires the ability of the consulting team to think about how each section of the organization interacts with the environment they find themselves in. Considerations for the community, the payer network, the tech stack, the competition, and the policies impacting the strategies require a team with diverse specialties who openly communicate and share their requisite knowledge with each other leading to optimal outcomes. Simply knowing the best community engagement program without identifying proper constraints and limitations and subsequently planning on how to mitigate those would result in delays and reduced impact.
It Starts With Our People
Intrepid’s dedication to systems thinking is even integrated into our hiring practices. We search for those not only who fit the experience we need, but the culture of humility and openness that allows our systems thinking approach to flourish. We have teammates with deeply ingrained knowledge on data storage and exchange, technology platforms and strategy, change management, program and co-design, policy analysis, organizational strategy, health-related social needs (HRSN) billing, community engagement and more, all of whom can work together to ensure a successful engagement.
In my tenure here at Intrepid Ascent, I have found each client to be unique in their needs and been a part of multiple projects where the experience of my fellow teammates, beyond the written scope of the project, was integral to delivering quality services. The high quality we deliver and the long-lasting positive relationships that have resulted from addressing our clients holistically is what’s currently allowing Intrepid to continue to flourish regardless of the ever-changing health care environment.
The high quality we deliver and the long-lasting positive relationships that have resulted from addressing our clients holistically is what’s currently allowing Intrepid to continue to flourish regardless of the ever-changing health care environment.
Senior Consultant