While we’d like to report that every MIH-CP program finds its footing, the reality is that many programs never build a strong enough foundation to survive. To maximize their chances of success, MIH-CP programs must take an honest look at themselves and determine where things are going wrong before it’s too late.
The 5 Reasons MIH-CP Programs Fail
We’ve tried to pull together the patterns that cause MIH-CP programs to collapse before they reach their potential. Of course, we don’t want to overlook the nuances of any given area. It could be that some programs in some areas are more vulnerable to one failure point than another. However, this does not mean that any item on this list is optional; it means that some programs in some areas need to address different problems first.
For example, a program might already have a very strong vision and committed leadership, so its weak point is an inability to think creatively when the original plan stops working. Another program might have strong buy-in from providers but struggle to build close partnerships with physicians and hospitals.
The point is this: many mobile integrated health programs will be strong in some areas and weak in others. The programs that survive are the ones willing to be radically honest about which category they fall into.
Here are the five reasons MIH-CP programs fail:
- No leadership with a clear vision (failed needs assessment)
- Lack of buy-in from community paramedics
- Weak or absent collaboration with community partners (physicians, hospitals, clinics)
- Inability to adapt when the original approach stops working
- Poor data collection and management
Note: These are five common failure points, but that does not mean there aren’t others to watch for. This is particularly true at the local level, where programs may need specific authorization from the local medical authority. Failing to build that relationship early can be fatal to a program before it ever gets off the ground.
As you read this article, consider the unique vulnerabilities of your program and the failure points most relevant to the people you serve.
No Leadership With a Vision (Failed Needs Assessment)
What makes a successful MIH-CP program is leadership with a clear vision. What happens if this is absent? It means those heading the program cannot articulate what they want to achieve in specific, measurable terms.
If your program’s stated vision is “better health for the community,” that is a warning sign. It is not that “better health” is a bad goal. It is that it is too broad to execute against.
A program that sets out to “reduce the number of hospital readmissions by 50 percent within two years” gives its partners something concrete to commit to. Programs without that specificity tend to drift. So how do you get there? The answer is a needs assessment. This involves reviewing data from your local community and asking: where is the area of greatest need?
Is it managing chronic diseases? Is it mental health? Without completing that needs assessment, leadership is essentially navigating without a map.
Note: By “weak leadership,” we do not mean one bad manager. We mean the absence of a group of aligned individuals, from physicians to paramedics, who can come together and agree on a mission. When voices from across healthcare are left out of leadership decisions, the cracks appear quickly.
Lack of Buy-in from Community Paramedics and Community Members
Failing to secure buy-in from the people who will deliver patient care is one of the most common reasons programs unravel. The paramedics in the field who will be performing the care often have strong opinions about how an MIH-CP program should operate, and ignoring those opinions is a mistake programs rarely recover from.
For example, some paramedics will be passionate about triage programs in which 911 ambulances are diverted when a patient is deemed non-emergent. Others will be passionate about responding to super-utilizers and reducing the number of times a given person calls 911.
When those voices go unheard, the program slowly erodes. Paramedics and EMTs who feel ignored do not stay engaged. Programs that fail to treat MIH-CP work as a professional step forward, with the training and compensation to match, tend to find out the hard way what disengaged providers cost them.
Weak Collaboration with Community Partners (Physicians, Hospitals, Clinics)
Collaboration is the lifeblood of MIH-CP. Without it, a mobile integrated health program will wither. Some programs manage to get off the ground independently, but without partnership, most stagnate and fail to reach their potential.
This failure point is especially common among programs that launch on grant funding. Grant money is a reasonable way to start, but it is not a long-term strategy. Programs that do not prioritize building partnerships while the grant money is flowing almost always find that when the funding ends, so does the program.
When it comes to partnerships, starting small is fine. What is not fine is failing to start at all. While the hospital may be an obvious first partner, programs that overlook health-adjacent organizations, such as community centers, churches, and colleges, are leaving support on the table.
Inability to Adapt When the Original Approach Stops Working
There is an age-old dilemma in this world, and it has to do with knowing when to give up and when to keep going. We see stories of success and failure on both sides.
On the one hand, some people say, “All I had to do was keep pushing through the hard times, and eventually I was successful.” On the other hand, we often hear, “I can’t believe how much time I wasted on something that was never going to happen. I should have given up years ago.”
So what is the answer? When do you keep going, and when do you stop? If the goal is worthy, you do not give up. But there is a third option between those two: the pivot. If you have been trying to climb the west side of a mountain and cannot make it, should you quit? No. Try the east side. Same goal, different path.
The same logic applies in MIH-CP. Too often, programs commit to a single method. When that method fails, they fold, when what they should have done was pivot. Programs that cannot adapt when circumstances change do not last. The only constant in this field is change.
Poor Data Collection and Management
Neglecting data collection is one of the quietest ways an MIH-CP program can fail. Good data is the thread that ties the other four pillars together, and without it, everything weakens.
You need strong data to conduct a needs assessment. Buy-in from paramedics requires understanding their experiences and outcomes. Building trust with community partners depends on being able to show results. And the ability to pivot depends entirely on being able to see, clearly and early, when something is not working.
Programs that lack the right tools for data collection are not just flying blind. They are doing so while trying to convince partners and funders to stay on board. Platforms built specifically for MIH-CP, like Julota, exist precisely because improvised data management is one of the most common reasons these programs lose credibility and momentum.
Key Point: The Ingredients to a Successful MIH-CP Program
The five key aspects of a winning MIH-CP program include a strong vision, buy-in from providers and the public, strong collaboration with physicians, the ability to think outside the box, and the tools for effective data collection.
While some programs might need to focus on one ingredient more than the others, all five must be present for success. It’s non-negotiable.
Contact Julota for more information on how their platform can help your MIH-CP program succeed.
