What's new

We recognize that access to care and its impacts on patient experience are a challenge across the health care industry. We have partnered with Press Ganey Consulting to offer a free webinar series, providing best-in-class insights, tools and techniques to improve patient experience. 1.0-hour continuing education (CE) will be available. The webinar will cover the following topics:

• Redefining access to improve quality and experience
• Providing access throughout the patient journey
• Setting expectations to support access to care for both PCP and specialty care
• Specific interventions that promote access beyond traditional face-to-face appointments
• Applying tactics that can be implemented starting your next day at the office

Join us for a 60-minute webinar on one of the following dates:

• August 2, 2024, noon (PT) Register

We are excited to offer this opportunity and hope you can join.

7/25/2024

As a PCP, you are a trusted resource and educator to parents and caregivers about the importance of routine checkups and recommended vaccination schedule. Scheduling office visits in advance can help parents and caregivers ensure their child stays on track and is caught up on vaccines before the start of the new school year. Childhood vaccinations declined during the pandemic and, partly as a result, measles cases, have increased across the U.S., including in our communities.

Vaccine schedules recommended by agencies and organizations, such as the CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians, include different vaccine types, frequencies, intervals and considerations for special situations.

Sometimes, parents and guardians are concerned about the safety of vaccines. To help them overcome this hesitancy, view the CDC’s resources:

• Vaccinate with confidence
• Encourage routine vaccinations
• Prepare for questions parents may ask about vaccines

Here are some tips for talking to parents who are hesitant to vaccinate their children:

• Tailor your message
• Counter any misinformation
• Ask why the parent is hesitant
• Understand the parent’s concerns
• Address the parent’s fears about side effects
• Prepare your staff to answer questions

In addition, as part of our efforts to improve childhood immunizations, our Quality Incentive Plan (QIP) provides incentives for administering immunizations required for children.

Healthwise’s Knowledgebase has helpful information and tools about immunizations and vaccinations to share with your patients. Our Quality Improvement Toolkit has a link to the Healthwise Knowledgebase. Search Healthwise’s Knowledgebase for materials in English and Spanish:

• Childhood Immunization Schedule: Ages 0 to 6 Years
• Childhood Immunization Schedule: Ages 7 to 18 Years
• Childhood Immunization Schedule: Ages 7 to 18 Years
• Why Get Your Child Immunized? video

The CDC has observed disparities in childhood immunization rates for racial and ethnic minorities, children living in rural communities, and low-income families. Addressing immunization disparities is an opportunity to improve health outcomes for individuals and increase protection in the overall health of our communities. To learn more, visit the Partnering for Vaccine Equity Resource Hub.

7/18/2024

When your patients need medical or behavioral health attention, knowing where to go for health care can help save them time and money—and assure that they get the care they need.

Our Care Options Toolkit focuses on the convenient care options that can help your patients avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency department (ED) for non-life-threatening conditions. When your patients are unable to receive in-person care (e.g., after hours), they have access to:

• Virtual care (medical and behavioral health providers and vendors)
• Our nurse advice line
• Urgent medical care at home provided by DispatchHealth (available in some metropolitan areas)

• Urgent care clinics

We encourage you to help your patients understand their care options before they need sudden medical or behavioral health care. The information you share can help your patients and their families receive the right care at the right time and place.

7/18/2024

Bump2Baby is designed to improve the utilization of prenatal services and provide important support to members and families-to-be to improve pregnancy and birth outcomes. The program supports and reinforces your treatment plan.

We encourage you to refer your patients to this program.

Identified members are organized into either high- or low-risk, based on clinical factors that can lead to pregnancy complications and pre-term births. All eligible members receive:

• A welcome packet
• Quarterly newsletters
• Access to a 24-hour maternity nurse line staffed by skilled clinicians.

High-risk members are contacted and encouraged to engage with a nurse for education and support. Low-risk members receive educational newsletters with the option to opt in and work with a nurse to support them throughout their pregnancy.

7/18/2024

July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This annual observance raises awareness about the unique challenges that affect the mental health of racial and ethnic minority and American Indian/Alaska Native populations. This year’s theme is Be the Source for Better Health: Improving Health Outcomes Through Our Cultures, Communities and Connections.

View the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources Office of Minority Health National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month resources.

In addition, you can find information to help you and your staff care for your patients on our provider website:

• Health Equity Toolkit: View resources to learn about health disparities, and to develop and improve your offices’ cultural competency and health literacy best practices.
• Behavioral Health Toolkit: Find resources to help PCPs assess and care for their patients, including specialized virtual providers.

7/17/2024

We believe that everyone should have access to affordable, quality care. That’s why we’re partnering with providers to address health disparities and advance health equity.

We recently updated our Health Equity Toolkit. This toolkit includes resources to help you learn more about health disparities and to develop and improve your cultural competency and health literacy best practices as you and your staff provide care for our members.

What’s inside?

• Explore tools, trainings, continuing medical education (CME) courses and other resources to help you and your practice continue to develop the mindset and core capabilities to advance health equity.
• Find resources to support underserved and underrepresented groups that experience health disparities.
• Learn about accreditation or distinction programs that can help your organization develop foundational health equity capabilities and earn recognition in the industry.

7/17/2024