Launching in the Carolinas this fall…

A hub for innovators and investors to cultivate ideas, co-design solutions, and catalyze necessary change for better health across the Carolinas.

 

 

A new approach to health innovation.

Acting as a connector of people and ideas across the two states, CaroNova engages vested partners, including payors and providers, at the beginning of the process.

Embedded in our work is the input of those affected the most by the decisions we make – patients, caregivers, and communities. We gather insight from the ground up while utilizing empirical data to better identify and refine promising practices that are sustainable.

We cultivate, co-design, & catalyze.

U

Cultivate

Recognizing every community has untapped ideas, we work systemically to understand and identify regional needs.

l

Co-Design

Through rapid cycle learning and local testing, we generate new approaches to reducing disparities and improving overall health. 

Catalyze

Using data to drive process, payment, and policy reforms, we focus on evidence-based results and replicate what works.

Accelerating the future of health.

Our goal at CaroNova is to accelerate a new vision of health, together. One that redefines systems of care to equitably and sustainably meet the health needs of the Carolinas.

Stay connected

As we are working towards building a full website with more information about who we are and what we do, connect with us. We’d love to hear from you.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Learn More About CaroNova

 

What is CaroNova?

CaroNova, established under a joint operating agreement among The Duke Endowment, the North Carolina Healthcare Association, and the South Carolina Hospital Association, is a hub for innovators and investors to cultivate ideas, co-design solutions, and catalyze necessary change in health across the Carolinas.

The shared goal is to address common areas of need by looking for promising new practices, developing and proving a supporting business model, and then scaling and sustaining what works to effect systemic change towards better health across both North and South Carolina.

Our unique strategy is to engage with community members, providers, and payors on the front end of the process to ensure a transparent and collaborative solution. CaroNova’s role is not to fund projects, but rather connect and leverage resources by convening the right stakeholders to identify, create and refine health innovations that will serve the Carolinas.

The name CaroNova translates to creating a new vision (Nova) of health for the Carolinas (Caro).

What types of projects does CaroNova work on?

CaroNova is working in several areas of interest, including serious illness care and hospital at home models, and is in the beginning stages of exploring system changes to support youth mental health.

Topics are driven by information found in sources like state health reports, the Commonwealth Fund publications and hospital claims data, in addition to guidance from CaroNova’s advisory board. The CaroNova Advisory Board is comprised of a wide variety of healthcare professionals, with representation from some of the largest stakeholders in each state like Medicaid plans, major insurance companies and healthcare systems. Topics are also considered based on their potential to quickly and feasibly affect meaningful and sustainable change.

CaroNova projects fall into one of two categories: accelerator projects or sustained focus areas. Accelerator projects are rapid cycle innovations in care delivery or emerging payment pathways. These projects, typically lasting 18-24 months, are where a small investment can lead to a large opportunity by leveraging our resources to convene partners and catalyze adoption. Sustained focus areas look for ways to affect larger, systemic change. These projects are 4–7-year commitments on a broader topic and use the full CaroNova 7-Step Process to fundamentally change a system — with sustainability and payment reform at the forefront.

What sets us apart from other organizations?

CaroNova was established to approach health-related problem-solving differently. From the start, our goal was to identify and remove traditional barriers to accelerate progress. Several deliberate tactics will become standard practices for our work. Examples of some of these strategies are:

  • Engaging with providers and payors early in a process to ensure a transparent and collaborative solution development
  • Creating a forum where traditionally siloed stakeholders can share information, data, and communication around a common topic of interest
  • Employing a stringent 7-step innovation process for topic identification that cultivates, co-designs, and catalyzes positive change in health for both North and South Carolina

 By leveraging these partnerships and tactics, we believe we can gain a deeper understanding of a targeted issue and move faster to find solutions.

How are we advancing equity?

Integrated into every topic we address is a drive to ensure equitable access to appropriate resources and care for all Carolinians. Our unique, collaborative approach places health equity at the center of all we do. When investigating opportunities for change, we look for solutions that explicitly improve outcomes while decreasing disparities. We know that without this direct linkage unintentional consequences such as widening disparities can occur and perpetuate structural racism in our healthcare systems. This approach is rooted in the belief that CaroNova projects should act as a signal to funders and partners that the Carolinas are ready to dramatically change the way we approach healthcare, embracing sustainable action to improve health outcomes and drive health equity.

What data do we use?

CaroNova uses a variety of sources to identify areas of interest, including state health reports, key informant interviews, community health needs assessments, hospital claims data, academic research, state health rankings, and information from the Commonwealth Fund reports. We also receive input from our advisory board members and subject matter experts we work with across both states.

How do I get involved?

If you have an idea or intervention opportunity that you would like to share with CaroNova for consideration, please connect with a member of our programs or communications teams. Staff will review accelerator project ideas and determine opportunities based on a variety of factors. Sustained focus area opportunities will be fully researched and presented to the advisory board through a formal process for consideration and approval.