There is a primary care office located in Hendersonville North Carolina which is about 30 miles from me.
There is a primary care office located in Hendersonville North Carolina which is about 30 miles from me. I am considering this place as one of my clinical sites since I know the practice manager. This primary care office is part of a for-profit organization. While the site I am considering for clinicals is a primary care office, the company runs three different types of practices, primary care, dermatology, and weight loss and hormones. There are several different locations for each type of office across the western part of North Carolina, even into the Piedmont region. All the practices accept all insurance. The practice is out of network for some insurance companies, but they will still accept the insurance. The dermatology practices offer a lot of cosmetic services (botox, cool sculpting, lip injections, etc.) which are all cash pay and are not filed to insurance. These services can be very expensive. While insurance claims and copays are a major part of the company’s financing, self-pay services help make the company profitable.
Measuring Quality
This practice is part of an accountable care organization (ACO) that helps measure quality. ACOs were developed as part of the Affordable Care Act to help decrease healthcare costs while maintaining the quality of care (Yan et al., 2022). The practice uses the goals that are set by the ACO to define its opinion of the quality of care. While using the benchmarks set by the ACO to determine if quality of care is being provided, they do try to personalize care to each individual patient.
New Policy
One policy that should be implemented by the practice is the requirement of an annual wellness visit, or annual physical, for all patients. Annual wellness visits are specifically designed to update the medical record and develop a personalized plan of care for each patient (Switzer & Corey, 2023). A lot of patients do not want to schedule their annual visits because they are not “sick” and do not need to see their primary care provider, but this is because they do not see the importance of this visit. Early detection is key to survival for some conditions and an annual wellness visit is the perfect place to provide patients with this type of education and generate referrals as needed.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This practice does an excellent job of supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. One of the biggest ways is having providers that practice very differently. Some of the providers are very traditional, while other providers are open to more alternative treatment plans. Everyone in the office has had diversity training and it is repeated on a yearly basis and as needed.
References
Switzer, T., & Corey, J. S. (2023). Impact of registered Nurse-Led annual wellness visits in rural health clinics. Nursing Economics, 41(2), 78–86. https://www.proquest.com/central/docview/2809782630/C46F7B4D3D364478PQ/1?accountid=169658
Yan, B. W., Shashoua, M., & Figueroa, J. F. (2022). Changes in spending, utilization, and quality of care among Medicare accountable care organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS ONE, 17(8), e0272706. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272706
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Picture of Svitlana Nesterenko
In reply to Kimberly Scruggs
Re: Discussion 5.1
by Svitlana Nesterenko – Tuesday, August 15, 2023, 5:38 PM
Hi there,
Measuring quality in healthcare is of paramount importance as it serves as a critical compass for ensuring effective and safe patient care. Quality measurement provides a systematic and objective way to assess healthcare services, treatments, and outcomes, guiding healthcare providers and institutions towards continuous improvement (LAlbelo & O’Toole, 2021). By quantifying aspects such as patient outcomes, safety protocols, adherence to best practices, and patient satisfaction, quality metrics offer insights into areas of excellence and areas in need of enhancement. This data-driven approach helps identify inefficiencies, reduce medical errors, and enhance overall patient experience. Moreover, quality measurement facilitates benchmarking across healthcare facilities, enabling the identification of best practices and the dissemination of successful strategies to elevate the standard of care industry-wide.
Furthermore, quality measurement holds healthcare providers and systems accountable to patients, regulators, and stakeholders. It reinforces transparency and trust, enabling patients to make informed decisions about their healthcare choices (Cumming, et al., 2023). Robust quality measures support evidence-based decision-making, aiding healthcare professionals in selecting the most effective treatments and interventions. Incentivizing providers to achieve and maintain high-quality care, measurement systems can drive positive behavior changes and encourage the adoption of innovative practices. Ultimately, the pursuit of quality in healthcare is a continuous journey towards achieving optimal patient outcomes, ensuring patient safety, and promoting a healthcare ecosystem that is dedicated to delivering the best possible care to individuals and communities.
References
LAlbelo, J. L. D., & O’Toole, N. (2021). Teaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Aviation Education. Collegiate Aviation Review International, 39(2), 266–273. https://doi-org.americansentinel.idm.oclc.org/10.22488/okstate.22.100245
Cumming, T., Miller, M. D., & Leshchinskaya, I. (2023). DEI Institutionalization: Measuring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Postsecondary Education. Change, 55(1), 31–38. https://doi-org.americansentinel.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/00091383.2023.2151802
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