As part of the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care (HPHC) contract with BWH signed last July, BWH agreed to certain performance measures that could impact HPHC’s reimbursement. Screening rates for preventing complications in patients with diabetes is one of the five quality measures in return for appropriate reimbursement from HPHC.
Subsequently, BWPO has initiated a Diabetes Outreach Coordinator Program to implement a process that will result in 20 percent increase in screening rates by the conclusion of 2002. The five percent increase called for by HPHC by the end of 2001 was surpassed at BWH by a wide margin due to the newly
instituted program.
In the program, one staff person, typically a medical assistant or nurse practitioner is assigned to follow-up with patients who were identified as needing screening or annual tests. The coordinators are responsible for sending letters to patients and following up with phone calls to ensure that the patients come into the office for their LDL, Hemoglobin A1c and Microalbumin tests. The coordinators also facilitate scheduling eye exams for the diabetes patients.
Louise Schneider, MD and Nancy Sokol, MD spearhead the Diabetes Outreach Coordinator Program. For more information, email Schneider or Sokol.