Study in Peer-Reviewed Journal Focuses on Ability of Physician-Led Automated Outreach to Improve Patient Compliance with Recommended Care
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A peer-reviewed study using data from Prevea Health, a large multi-specialty healthcare organization based in Green Bay, Wis., shows that an automated patient identification and outreach program can be an effective means to supplement existing practice patterns to ensure that patients with chronic conditions in need of care receive the necessary treatment.
The paper in the Journal of Population Health Management* found that patients who received automated communication messages were more likely to have both a chronic care office visit and an appropriate test than patients who were not contacted. Diabetes patients who were successfully contacted were significantly more likely to have both a chronic care-related visit and an HbA1c test (odds ratio [OR]=4.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.87–5.49) than their counterparts who were not contacted. As well, hypertension patients were significantly more likely to have both a chronic care-related visit and a systolic blood pressure reading recorded in an electronic medical record ([OR]=3.18, 95% [CI] 2.90–3.48). The results of this study indicate that a well-designed outreach program motivates patients who have gaps in care to have their treatment needs addressed.
Prevea’s automated patient identification and outreach program employs Phytel’s Proactive Patient Outreach solution. Using data feeds from the group’s practice management system, this service builds a registry of patients who require preventive and chronic care. Based on nationally validated, evidence-based protocols, the technology triggers automated messaging to patients when they are due for office visits, tests or other services.
“When we signed on to work with Phytel, we realized that simply identifying patients who have gaps in recommended care was not enough,” said Ashok Rai, M.D., CEO of Prevea Health and the study’s lead author. “Unless we had a scalable and effective means to engage patients, those patients will at best delay treatment, and at worst not seek treatment at all. Prevea’s successful automated outreach efforts for diabetes and hypertension provide clear support for the assertion that proactive outreach, based on recommended treatment guidelines, can deliver higher compliance rates and, by implication, improved outcomes.”
Richard Hodach, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., chief medical officer of Phytel, commented, “This important study demonstrates the utility of the use of automated population health management capabilities to improve healthcare quality and contain costs. We applaud Dr. Rai and his colleagues at Prevea for establishing the groundbreaking peer-reviewed research in this area. The automation of preventive and chronic care can help physicians and healthcare systems keep patients engaged in their recommended care and are a prerequisite for the success of patient-centered medical homes, accountable care organizations, and future healthcare delivery models that depend on care coordination and population-based health improvement.”
About Prevea Health
Prevea Health’s mission is to take care of people with passion, pride, and respect. Founded in 1996, Prevea Health partners with St. Mary’s and St. Vincent Hospitals in Green Bay, and St. Nicholas Hospital in Sheboygan to provide access to more than 200 providers in over 50 specialty areas. Prevea’s 20 locations are throughout metropolitan Green Bay and in Kewaunee Marinette, Oconto, Plymouth, Pulaski, Seymour, Sheboygan and Sturgeon Bay. Visit www.prevea.com for more information.
About Phytel
The premier company empowering physician-led population health improvement, Phytel provides physicians with proven technology to deliver timely, coordinated care to their patients. Phytel’s state-of-the-art registry, which now encompasses 20 million patients nationwide, uses evidence-based chronic and preventive care protocols to identify and notify patients due for service, while tracking compliance and measuring quality and financial results. For more information, please visit www.phytel.com. Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/phytel, and find us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/phytel.
Reference:
*Ashok Rai, M.D., CEO of Prevea Health; Paul Prichard, M.D., Medical Director of Prevea Health; Richard Hodach, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., CMO of Phytel, and Ted Courtemanche, Vice President of Medical Economics at Phytel, Journal of Population Health Management (10.1089/pop.2010.0033)
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6668515&lang=en
CONTACT:
Schwartz Communications
Davida Dinerman or Pauline Louie
781-684-0770
[email protected]
or
Prevea Health
Paula Berken, 920-429-1761
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: United States North America Texas
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Technology Data Management Practice Management Health Hospitals Diabetes Managed Care
MEDIA:
| Logo |