S.C. BlueCross and Palmetto Primary Care Physicians Launch Medical Home Pilot Project
Posted on: Monday, 6 April 2009, 09:00 CDT
The patient-centered medical home, a concept backed by national medical societies and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a first for BlueCross BlueShield of
The pilot project will focus on diabetic patients who are members of BlueCross BlueShield of
Patient-centered medical homes integrate quality improvement, coordinated care management and patient educational tools into primary care practices. The concept places the primary care doctor in charge of a team that can include social workers, pharmacists, wellness coordinators, nurses, disease managers, clinical diabetic educators, all working together to proactively reach out and develop an individual treatment plan for patients.
Case managers, hired recently by Palmetto Primary Care Physicians, will help reduce gaps in care, such as missed appointments with specialists, lack of transportation, and medication non-compliance. They also will perform outreach, such as registering patients for wellness clinics, scheduling appointments with specialists and monitoring medical effects. The clinical quality goals will be monitored by measuring blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels.
Electronic medical records will be a key component for delivering comprehensive care. Palmetto Primary Care Physicians uses software, at the point of care, that integrates information received from the health plan, case manager and local emergency rooms. This is information that the primary care practice has never had before. The medical record then becomes more complete and readily available to the primary care physician. Palmetto Primary Care Physicians also has created a portal on its Web site where pilot participants can schedule an interactive e-visit with their physicians, create their own personal health records, upload and chart their own glucose results, and pay their bills.
There is no copayment or extra charge to the patients for participation in the pilot.
"BlueCross is excited about this innovative approach to care where physicians lead a team in this patient-centered medical home model," said Dr.
If this pilot works well, it may be expanded to other chronic disease patients and to other primary care groups around the state. "We're pleased to work with BlueCross and its diabetic members in this pilot and believe this could be a state model," said
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SOURCE BlueCross BlueShield of
Source: PR Newswire
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