Contents
PCC News: Dedicated to Primary Care Physician Communication and Collaboration
Dr. Thomas Graf Speaks to CaroMont Physicians
Bellin Health model described
CMO Dr. Jerry Levine to Lead Physician Initiatives
athenahealth EMR rollout started August 1 at CMG
Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Initiative
New Tobacco Cessation Program Now Available at CaroMont Health
PCC News: Dedicated to Primary Care Physician Communication and Collaboration
David Rinehart, MD
PCC Chair 2011
The Primary Care Council (PCC) of CaroMont Health welcomes you to the inaugural issue of The Primary Care Collaborative newsletter “PPC News.” Since many primary care providers are no longer working together in the hospital setting, and provider interaction is largely limited to our individual offices, the PCC recognizes a need for more effective communication and collaboration among primary care providers.
The PCC News will attempt to provide a vehicle for those of us in primary care to communicate general information about our specialty and to share news about our community’s primary health care activities.
Our goal is to have primary care providers write our news items, to aim the content only to primary care, to engage both CaroMont practices and independent primary care providers in our community, and to especially cover local items of primary care interest.
The PCC News will be bimonthly, both printed and emailed, with some links to more online details when needed.
I encourage you to send us any suggestions and information for future issues of PCC News by emailing me at RineharD@caromonthealth.org. I look forward to hearing from you! – David Rinehart, PCC chair 2011
Dr. Thomas Graf Speaks to CaroMont Physicians
Thomas Graf, MD
Geisinger Health System
Dr. Thomas Graf, family physician and former director of the South Georgia Family Practice residency and current chair of the Geisinger Community Practice Service Line at Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania, visited Gastonia on May 12, 2011.
Dr. Graf spent the day speaking to various CaroMont groups about integrated and accountable care and use of quality metrics. Dr Graff ending the day with a presentation to about 70 local primary care physicians and other health care providers at the Gaston Country Club, describing Geisinger’s model of leveraging health IT and quality metrics and systems of care to achieve improved levels of preventive care, reduced hospital readmissions and greater patient engagement.
Bellin Health model described
George Kerwin, FACHE and president and CEO of Bellin Health to the Primary Care Council and to the Gaston Health Coalition and to CaroMont Senior Leadership on Sept 27, describing the decade long journey that their health system has made to achieve national recognition for innovative and cost effective care in their Green Bay area of Wisconsin. Mr Kerwin described the strategic initiatives that they have systematically instituted in their health system to achieve that sought after “bending down of the cost curve” while improving patient experience and quality goals. Bellin employs the whole primary care base in their system, and “influences” the rest of the market though outreach to employers, insurance carriers, specialists, and to the patients. Mr Kerwin emphasized the need to provide the “right care at the right level” with easy access to screening, nurse advice, quick care, and to primary care in general. Bellin embraces collaboration of the health system with the employers and with the insurance companies to align goals and incentives.
CMO Dr. Jerry Levine to Lead Physician Initiatives
Dr. Dr. Jerry Levine joined CaroMont Health in May 2011 as Executive Vice President for Clinical Integration and Chief Medical Officer. Levine, an accomplished physician and leader in quality improvement initiatives, served at Hackensack University Medical Center in various senior leadership positions for 28 years. He is a graduate of New York University School of Medicine, NYU Medical Center residency, and Infectious Disease fellowship at the Manhattan VA Hospital. He was honored as one of the “Best Doctors” in New York Magazine and in New Jersey Mnthly.
“Physician alignment is absolutely crucial to the success of health care reform,” says Dr. Levine. Primary care and the PCMH have become synonymous with fundamental and systematic health care reform, which is required to achieve improved quality, enhance access and lower costs.”
athenahealth EMR rollout started August 1 at CMG
CaroMont Medical Group (CMG) began utilizing the athenahealth electronic medical record (EMR) software in nearly all CMG outpatient clinics on August 1. This “cloud-based” EMR has great promise to provide enhanced productivity and business management and more patient engagement through the patient portal.
“The platform will also improve delivery of care and reduce overall health costs. Emergency personnel will also have better knowledge of patients’ medical histories, and results from evaluations such as x-rays will be delivered to medical personnel faster,” says Dr. Randall Gehle, co-chair of the CMG Governance committee.
Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Initiative
The idea of every patient having a “medical home” has great appeal for those of us in primary care, and as most of you know, this idea has received much recent attention in health care reform. The attributes of a high quality “patient centered medical home” have been codified, and thousands of primary care physicians have achieved certification status. We plan to have much more to say about PCMH in the upcoming issues, as this is a very important initiative nationally and requires much thought, planning, and workflow adjustment to achieve. Christina Huitt, RN, Director of Quality Improvement for CaroMont Medical Group, will be conducting two seminars for local independent primary care groups, on September 21st and 29th. Please contact Christina at Christina.Huitt@caromonethealth.org if you are interested in attending these seminars.
New Tobacco Cessation Program Now Available at CaroMont Health
Tobacco Free for LIFE is a new tobacco cessation program offered by CaroMont Health. This free, two-hour monthly program, held Tuesday nights from 6:30–8:30pm in the Cardiac Health & Fitness Center uses evidence based techniques. Participants under age 18 must have a written physician referral or have a parent or guardian attend the session. All adult patients can register by calling 704-671-7930, and an instructor will contact your patient prior to the program date to confirm attendance and discuss program features.
Next Edition
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What is an HIE and do you want one in your back yard?
Role and Mission of the Primary Care Council
The Primary Care Council (PCC) of CaroMont Health was one of five Councils formed in 2010, along with Surgery, Orthopedics/Neurology, Women and Children’s Health, and Oncology councils. The goals of all of these physician led Councils has been to foster physician engagement and collaboration with CaroMont administration in order to
improve quality, value, and patient experience in each of these areas.
The current PCC council consists of 14 physicians (including physicians employed by CaroMont Medical Group and independent primary care providers), along with CaroMont Health administration and management, and also representation from local industry.
The PCC believes that primary care is the bedrock of community health care and we need to actively support one another. We are working to develop and encourage systems of primary care that deliver cost-effective primary health care and preventive care to our community.
