Watershed Health, a New Orleans company in patient care coordination, has appointed healthcare veteran Effie Carlson as its new chief executive officer.
The company’s founder and former CEO, cardiologist Dr Chip Grant, will now assume the roles of executive chair and chief medical officer.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Grant said: “Effie’s healthcare industry and business experience, strategic direction, and deep connections make her the right person to lead Watershed into this exciting next chapter of growth and momentum.”
Carlson, who has more than 16 years of experience in healthcare leadership, joined Watershed in 2021 and has risen through the ranks to her current position.
Since its inception in 2013, Watershed has aimed to address the challenges of uncoordinated care in the Alabama Gulf Coast region.
The company’s solutions are claimed to be currently employed by four out of six major US health plans and a multitude of clinical and non-clinical providers, benefiting 8.5 million patients in the US.
Uncoordinated care is a costly issue in the US, leading to an estimated $340bn in wasted resources annually.
It contributes to increased morbidity and mortality due to duplicate testing, medication errors, unnecessary hospital visits, and poor patient transitions.
Watershed Health aims to address these challenges by enhancing care coordination.
Its approach to tackling uncoordinated care involves creating a central hub for all of a patient’s clinical and non-clinical providers.
By offering a real-time, shared patient record at the point of care, Watershed claims to facilitate better communication and decision-making among providers and health plans.
This comprehensive record includes clinical documents, health status, social determinants of health, and contact information, all crucial for implementing effective care plans.
Carlson said: “You cannot overstate the value of real-time, actionable and easy coordination across the care continuum, and it’s been sorely lacking far too long. Watershed is changing this by providing insights and alignment between stakeholders in a rapid and powerful manner, and I am excited to lead the company in meeting current demand and future adoption by health plans and providers.
“My focus will be on continuing to expand our relationships, drive the scale of the business, and execute our vision to solve uncoordinated care.”
Carlson’s background includes pivotal roles in various healthcare organisations, where she has been instrumental in driving growth and policy initiatives.
Her expertise covers a range of sectors, including managed care, healthcare technology, and value-based care.
She founded EJC Consulting Group and held leadership positions at Modivcare, PayrHealth, Team Select, and CareCentrix.
