June 2013
The Saint Thomas Health
CONNECTION With you. For life. In This Issue: l A
Message from Dr. Mike Schatzlein
l L ife
without insurance, the story of Roy Martin
l I CD-10
is coming! ICD-10 is coming!
l G iving
patients more access
June 2013
A Newsletter For Saint Thomas Health Associates
CONNECTION Dear Friends, It was a pleasure for me to get to meet so many of you during my recent town halls and rounds on some of the units. Over three weeks, I was able to talk to roughly 500 associates about the future of Saint Thomas Health. I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me and I assure you that I am taking to heart all of the comments, questions and concerns you expressed. In this issue of Connection you will find more information on some of the topics we discussed during the town halls. One Patient. One Chart.TM, population health management with MissionPoint Health Partners and our direct mission outreach are all featured. These are symbolic of the strengths that will carry Saint Thomas Health into the future. Mike Schatzlein
On the Cover: The Hickman Community Hospital team is dedicated to improving the health of their community.
As an integrated health system dedicated to caring for one million lives through MissionPoint and seeking out the poor and vulnerable in our communities, it is imperative that we are united in our mission, vision, values and purpose. Our purpose is clear to me: We are a community of healers. We’ve been called to this work by a higher power and the work you do is His work.
Our purpose is clear to me: We are a community of healers.
I know the changes we must enact will not always be easy. At times it may even be scary. In those times know that you are not alone on this journey. We are all in this together as a community of healers determined to improve continuously in quality, safety and performance as we do His work. Thank you for all that you do for our patients and each other every day. You are appreciated! Sincerely,
Dr. Mike Schatzlein President & CEO, Saint Thomas Health
Saint Thomas Health is a member of Ascension Health, the nation’s largest not-for-profit health care system. Our ministry includes Saint Thomas Hospital, Baptist Hospital, The Hospital for Spinal Surgery, Middle Tennessee Medical Center and Hickman Community Hospital. www.sths.com
Life Without Insurance 2 The Story of Roy Martin 2
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t age 67, Roy Martin has worked tirelessly to support his family for more than 50 years. And to his very core, this lifelong Middle Tennessee resident is a man who believes in giving, not receiving. However, after a life-threatening heart condition struck in the early 1990s, Roy was eventually faced with the need to accept help, which he found in abundance through Saint Thomas Health.
“Mr. Martin has a heart of gold and he is a Godly man. He takes care of all of his family [including his ailing mother], and he always puts himself last,” she said. She added that to help him and so many others in similar situations is simply “part of our core values, to be reverent and provide respect, compassion and dignity.” Nancy, who has been with Saint Thomas Health for 18 years added, “And this is one of our calls to action, health care that leaves no one behind, which includes people who are uninsured, underinsured and insured – this means everyone. We believe that health care is a right, and we want to provide that care to everyone.”
Like so many Americans, Roy, who was a small business owner at the time, lacked health insurance. After the first of several heart attacks, he was admitted to Saint Thomas Hospital. Overwhelmed by the thought of his mounting bills, Roy was given litera“Mr. Martin has ture about the Daughters of a heart of gold…” Charity program, now called Charity Care. “Saint Thomas is my lifesaver, and the Daughters of Charity, God bless them, they are the best things that ever happened to me, medical-wise. If I went to some other hospital, I would have been turned away; I would have been dead,” Roy said.
Roy said that lacking insurance “makes you feel degraded; it just makes you feel terrible to know you need insurance but you can’t afford it.” He continued, “I was ashamed, but Saint Thomas, they treat you with respect and dignity whether you have a dime in your pocket or not. At Saint Thomas, I didn’t have to feel like a secondhand citizen.” The fisherman and Nascar fan, who continues to fight heart disease, is now eligible for Medicare. But, as a man who is as solid as his word, Roy said, “Now I can go to any hospital in this country, but I will always go to Saint Thomas.”
Nancy Anness, vice president of advocacy, access and community outreach for Saint Thomas Health, has assisted Roy with his health care needs at Saint Thomas Hospital for approximately eight years.
Roy Martin
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A menu of options
for mothers who
Choose Baptist Hospital
T
raditional childbirth methods seem
● Tub Labor
to be old-school for many expect-
it comes to birthing methods. From tub labor to family-
Tub labor seems to be an up and coming trend among expectant mothers. It is a more relaxing way for mothers to go through the labor process making contractions a little more bearable. Often confused with a water birth, with this method the baby is delivered outside of a tub. With a tub labor the mother is immersed into warm water to ease labor pains and then moves to a bed for the delivery.
centered cesareans, mothers can work with their physi-
● Family-Centered Cesarean
cians to choose birthing methods right for them.
You wouldn’t expect to hear the words ‘natural’ and ‘cesarean’ used together, but at Baptist Hospital you do. For mothers who have their heart set on having a natural childbirth and end up having to undergo a cesarean section they no longer have to completely forego the natural birthing method. A natural, or family-centered, cesarean allows mothers to remember their baby’s first day into the world.
ant mothers these days, and Baptist Hospital is excited to be offering mothers a menu of options when
The family-centered cesarean differs from the normal cesarean in many ways. In a normal cesarean, ECG dots are placed on the mother’s chest in order to monitor her vitals and a curtain is placed above her abdomen so that she does not have to watch the surgery. In a family-centered cesarean, the medical team puts the ECG dots on the mother’s back so her chest is free to hold the newborn upon delivery. Also, the family can choose to drop the curtain once the baby’s head emerges in order to see the baby being delivered. Another change to the standard cesarean includes the “walking” of the baby out of the womb slowly and waiting for the umbilical cord to stop pulsing before clamping it. The advantage to “walking” the baby out allows the fluid to be squeezed from the lungs, similar to what happens during a vaginal delivery. 4
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Waiting to clamp the umbilical cord is considered beneficial because it allows more blood and nutrients to be transferred to the newborn.
● Skin-to-Skin Skin-to-Skin is another amenity Baptist Hospital is offering mothers. This involves the baby being placed on the mothers chest, bare bodied and directly following the birth. Along with many other benefits, it is said to improve breastfeeding, maintain body temperature better than an incubator, and reduce crying.
● Doula Baptist Hospital is also proud to now offer doula services to their mothers. For those that don’t know, a doula or a “labor coach” is with the mother before and after labor for both emotional and physical support. A doula is a non-medical personnel, but is trained to be by the mother’s side during the child birthing process.
Along with the above new birth options, Baptist Hospital is proud to offer many other amenities to their mothers including: • Nitrous Oxide available for childbirth pain • OB dedicated anesthesiologist 24/7 • Experienced OB Hospitalist available 24/7 • Maternal Fetal Medicine (high-risk OB specialist) • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Level III • Limited separation between mom and baby • One dedicated nurse for both mom and baby • Cuddle Time (quiet time) • Breastfeeding support 7 days a week • Lactation Boutique • Nursery available at mom’s request • Child birth preparation classes • Breastfeeding Support Group • Sibling Classes • Safe Sleep Education • Outpatient Lactation Services Baptist Hospital provides these amenities to make the special day enjoyable, comfortable and safe for both mother and baby. In addition, they also have a highly skilled staff that supports high risk pregnancies to ensure that their patients have access to the latest in advanced, urgent care while still enjoying the comfort and security for which Baptist is renowned.
A More Natural C-section
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shley Logsdon wanted to have a natural birth with her first baby, but that didn’t happen. Natural was the plan for the second baby as well. Again, that didn’t happen. After two C-sections, Ashley knew that having a natural birth with her third baby wasn’t going to happen either so she began researching her options. Ashley decided on a family-centered cesarean at Baptist Hospital. From the placement of the ECG dots and the curtain to the “walking” out of the baby, the familycentered cesarean is all about the birthing experience.
B
aptist Hospital wants to accommodate every mother and provide her with her very own unique birthing experience. Options like the family-centered cesarean, tub labor and cuddle time allows Baptist Hospital to do just that. Ashley talked about her experience with a family-centered cesarean and the joys of being able to hold her baby girl immediately after she came into the world versus having to wait in a recent video. To watch the video, go to http://youtu.be/_4ZEAJxxlew or scan the QR code above.
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Hickman Community Hospital works with Second Harvest on Innovative Food Bank Project
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he team at Hickman Community Hospital knows that, sometimes, the best medicine goes beyond the traditional concept of health care.
The Centerville hospital has started the new year with a new initiative, in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. Through the Saint Thomas Health Foundation, the two organizations have joined together to create the Hickman Community Hospital-Based Food Pantry, serving as a branch location of Second Harvest. The food bank program fills a growing need in Hickman County, where, in some cases, poverty, inadequate public transportation and a limited number of grocery stores can make access to nutritious food a challenge. That fact,
Peggy Mills receives gift of food box tailored to her diabetic needs
This winter
Peggy Mills arrived at Hickman Community Hospital’s emergency department, suffering from chronic bronchitis. Mills, 65, left the facility after receiving prompt, exceptional medical care, as well as an important helping hand. A diabetic who lives on a fixed income, Mills was one of the first area residents to benefit from the Hickman Community Hospital-Based Food Pantry, an innovative initiative created through a partnership between the hospital and Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.
Hickman Community Hospital nurse Billie Lane and plant operation staff Fred Boman discuss the food box program.
Mills was approached by a “respiratory therapist who heard that I normally go to the store once a month,” she said. The therapist arranged for a box of nonperishable foods designed specifically for Mills’ dietary needs to be given at discharge. “In the box, there was a real good selection,” she said. “There were canned meats in there, and vegetables; even peanut butter, which is a good source of protein. But I think I liked the canned chicken best, because you can do so much with it.” The food bank, spearheaded by Kevin Campbell, the professional services administrator for Hickman Hospital, is designed to offer not only food to those in need, but also to help the recipients discover long-term healthy eating solutions. Mills, who lives near the Hickman Community Hospital and has been admitted several times, said that the nurses “have always been extremely helpful,” yet, she was pleasantly surprised at receiving the food box. “I was a little shocked,” a grateful Mills said. “It was very sweet of the therapist and the nurses to think about me. It meant a lot.”
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Get Involved!
Through the suppor�
of the Saint Thomas Health Foundation, the Hickman Community Hospital-Based Food Bank will provide hundreds of individuals in need with boxes filled with nutritious, satisfying meals this year. You can join the sharing and caring by supporting the foundation with charitable funds. Kevin Campbell, the professional services administrator at Hickman Community Hospital, said “The foundation staff will assist individual donors in allocating their contributions, which are so important. This program simply would not be possible without the financial generosity of those who donate.” To set up a donation, go to stthomas.org/foundation or call 615-222-6800. Shane Willis, operations and outreach minister for Centerville Church of Christ helps fill food boxes.
coupled with a high rate of diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and related complications results in a community that is struggling for want of a basic need. As a much-needed solution, the program will deliver diet-specific food boxes to patients identified and referred by a physician, nurse practitioner, nurse or other staff member at the hospital, its emergency departments or one of the rural health clinics. Kevin Campbell, the professional services administrator for Hickman Community Hospital, has played an integral role in the creation of the food pantry.
“The health care providers can offer a patient a food box as part of his or her discharge instructions,” Campbell said. “The boxes serve the function of financially assisting a patient or family in need, as well as providing an educational message on making healthy choices when they buy groceries at the marketplace.” The boxes will be assembled with three types of preset dietary recommendations in mind: diabetic, renal and low-sodium. Each box will contain approximately 18 containers of a dozen different nonperishable items, including mixed vegetables, canned chicken, unsweetened applesauce, wheat pasta, rice, beans, peanut butter, peaches and more.
Hickman Community Hospital has also partnered with Centerville Church of Christ Outreach Center. Church members involved in their outreach program will assist with the assembly and storage of the food boxes. The Hickman Community HospitalBased Food Bank is the first joint effort with a hospital in Tennessee for Second Harvest, and Saint Thomas Health is proud to be a part, as it has great potential to improve the health of so many local residents. “This program will truly be a wonderful part of extending our mission and ministry into the community,” said Campbell.
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Saint Thomas Health out in the
coMMUNity
Hickman Med Mission
The most recent Medical Mission at Home was held in Hickman County in April. More than 300 patients were seen that day. After finding out that dental care would be offered, some residents spent the night in the parking lot of the National Guard Armory to receive this much needed service. Unfortunately, the need was so great that some patients waited through the more than five hours the volunteer dentists worked and were still unable to be seen.
March of Dimes
Craig Center Opens Its Doors
Baptist Hospital celebrated the opening of the Craig Center for Advanced Wound Healing on April 2. The new facility was made possible with a generous donation from The Deborah and C.A. Craig, II Family Foundation.
Dr. Robert Fallis
Speaking at the WAMS luncheon showing his support of the MS Society at the Hillwood Country Club in Nashville.
Associates at the 2013 March of Dimes March for Babies. Baptist Hospital was the presenting sponsor of this event. 8
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Saint Thomas Health and its associates are out in the community making a difference every day! Take a look at some recent events in the Middle Tennessee area in which we’ve been able to educate the community, raise awareness and funds for great causes and have some fun.
Habitat
In March and April, associates from across Saint Thomas Health helped Baptist Hospital associate Sylvester McMillian realize his dream of home ownership as part of a Habitat for Humanity build.
Baptist Hospital Hosts Revive Her Health
Baptist Hospital hosted Revive Her Health in January. More than 50 attendees learned about health topics including nutrition, heart health, urology and more.
New Deal
A deal was struck between Middle Tennessee State University and Middle Tennessee Medical Center for MTSU to buy the old MTMC campus. The purchase includes 17.4 acres and the Bell Street Building, now known as the Middle Tennessee State University Bell Street Building.
Saint Thomas Hospital Starts New Phase
Saint Thomas Hospital broke ground on a multi-year modernization project that will improve patient-centered care by increasing patient access, and enhancing critical care and surgical services. The project will require renovation of existing space and construction of a new inpatient tower. 9
H ealing on the I nside
W
alking into the Craig Center for Advance d Wound Healing at
Baptist Hospital, Marc Plew is the picture of health. His blue eyes, ready smile and firm handshake show a man prepared to take on the world. In many ways, he already has: Marc has traveled to countries as exotic as India, the Philippines and Nigeria as part of his work with Gideon’s International, a Christian ministry headquartered in Nashville. He still spends half of his time traveling in the United States on behalf of the organization, and he’s not planning to slow down any time soon. Marc’s energy belies his long battle to beat prostate cancer. Diagnosed in 2007, Marc had his prostate removed and underwent seven weeks of radiation therapy. Cancer-free, he celebrated victory and embarked on a new chapter of life. But a year ago Marc started to have troubling symptoms once more, and so a friend referred him to a doctor at the Mayo Clinic. He soon learned that he suffered from a condition known as delayed radiation cystitis. As his doctor described it, his bladder was fried, a side effect of the radiation treatment he received. “The doctor told me I had two options,” Marc explained, “Option one was to have my bladder removed. It’s an invasive surgery, and frankly, I wasn’t sure I’d live through it. Or, I could try hyperbaric oxygen treatment. I’d never heard of that, but anything sounded better than surgery.” During hyperbaric oxygen treatment, wound patients spend thirty minutes to two hours a day in a special chamber filled with 100 percent oxygen. Wounds require oxygen to heal, so immersing patients in it speeds the healing process. Many patients that receive hyperbaric oxygen treatment have external wounds, such as a burn, but the treatment also works for delayed radiation injuries. Marc’s doctor agreed that hyperbaric oxygen treatment was the best choice. The next step was to find a facility
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that offered the treatment. Marc and his wife, Donna, were both thrilled when they learned that hyperbaric oxygen treatment is available in Nashville, at the Craig Center for Advanced Wound Healing. The Craig Center, which was made possible by a donation from the Deborah and C.A. Craig II Family Foundation, is a new facility at Baptist Hospital, part of Saint Thomas Health. “Thank the Lord for the Craig family,” Marc said. “Nashville is fortunate to have this center, which brings healing to people like me with very serious conditions.” Marc started his treatment the first day the Wound Center opened. Every day, he drives downtown, changes into a hospital gown and spends two hours in a hyperbaric chamber. There is a 50 to 70 percent chance that the treatment will heal his bladder completely. Marc can already tell a difference in his symptoms. “I believe 100 percent that it is working,” he said. “Everyone needs to know that this is an option. If I hadn’t gone to Mayo and been referred to Saint Thomas, the next step would have been major surgery.” Marc has four weeks left of treatment. In the meantime, he continues to live life to the fullest. He enjoys spending time with his wife, and he looks forward to returning to mission work with Gideon’s International. Marc has always been the picture of health on the outside. Now, he’s healing on the inside, too.
Saint Thomas Health to Host Medical Mission in Murfreesboro As part of Saint Thomas Health’s mission to serve the poor and vulnerable in our communities, the 14th Medical Mission at Home will be held on Saturday, June 8 in Rutherford County. The event will take place at Minerva Church of Christ from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Continuing the tradition of the Medical Mission at Homes held previously, Saint Thomas Health plans to provide free medical care, dental care, vision care, foot care and more to the residents in need. Volunteers – clinical and non-clinical – are needed for the June 8 Medical Mission. To volunteer, call 615-284-6859 or email crodenbu@stthomas.org.
Call 615-284-6859 to Volunteer
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iddle Tennessee Medical Center (MTMC) is dedicated to being a beacon of excellent health care for the Rutherford County community. In the ever changing healthcare environment, MTMC is continuously seeking ways to improve the care and services that it provides. MTMC has begun “A Time to Excel” journey that is aimed at making MTMC the best place to work, the best place for physicians to practice and the best place for patients to receive care. A foundational element in achieving this trifold mission is to ensure the alignment of goals, behaviors and processes throughout the organization. All members of the MTMC family, including executive leadership, nursing staff and associates, have been working over the past several months to identify specific and measurable goals and focus actions on achieving those goals. The top two priorities for MTMC at present are improving nursing recruitment and retention and reducing wait times in the emergency department. Though early in its journey, the hospital is already seeing some positive trends with
MTMC held a be-a-polooza in April to help associates learn the Be Attitudes.
regards to these focus areas. In addition, patient satisfaction results seem to be making a turn upward. The Studer Group has been enlisted to assist the hospital in its “A Time to Excel,” journey. The Studer Group works with over 800 healthcare organizations in the U.S. and beyond. They work to help organizations install an executive framework called evidenced-based leadership that ultimately helps empower organizations to respond to new initiatives quickly and effectively. The hospital will continue to measure accomplishments as the “A Time to Excel,” journey moves forward, never losing sight of its mission to provide care to the poor and vulnerable, creating healthier communities and working together to improve quality of life.
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ICD-10 is Coming! ICD-10 is Coming!
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n Oct. 1, 2014 the ICD-9 codes sets used to report medical diagnoses and inpatient procedures will be replaced by ICD-10 code sets. While this may seem far off, some associates at Saint Thomas Health are already busy preparing for the transition. With the effects of the ICD-10 transition reaching so many departments and practices, preparation is key to ensure a successful changeover.
What is ICD-10? The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is a coding system created by the World Health Organization (WHO) and used by the healthcare industry, serving many purposes for both payers and providers. The ICD-10 implementation expands the number of ICD-9 diagnosis and procedure codes from 17,000 to 140,000 ICD-10 codes. ICD-10 offers increased specificity and requires more precise documentation. Note that this change does not affect CPT coding for outpatient procedures.
The Value of ICD-10:
Our coders and clinical documentation specialists have been completing education to help them prepare for the transition. At the same time, we are collaborating with our payers to develop a plan for testing to assure there is minimal financial impact. For more information on ICD-10 and Saint Thomas Health’s efforts to prepare for an implementation, go to the LifeNet site at http://lifenet/Pages/ICD10.aspx.
• Greater coding accuracy and specificity • Higher quality information for measuring healthcare service quality, safety and security • Improved efficiencies and lower costs • Reduced coding errors • Alignment of the US with coding systems worldwide
What is Saint Thomas Health Doing to Prepare? Saint Thomas Health has created a cross-functional executive steering committee with representation from STHe, Saint Thomas Physician Services (STPS) and Hickman Community Hospital to guide the overall transition effort. Sub-committees of the executive steering committee have been created in the areas Coding Governance & Clinical Documentation Improvement, Revenue Cycle, Finance & Contract Management, Clinical Operations, Physician Engagement, Technology, and Communication, Training and Change Management. These sub-committees have been meeting on a regular basis since the summer of 2012. Their early work was focused on identification of areas and technologies that will be impacted by the change. The next phase includes working with our vendors to upgrade our systems so they can accommodate the new codes.
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Why Do We Have to Change? There are two main reasons that the transition to ICD-10CM/PCS is necessary.
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Payors cannot pay claims fairly using ICD-9-CM (Clinical Modification) since the classification system does not accurately reflect current technology and medical treatment. Significantly different procedures are assigned to a single ICD-9-CM procedure code. Limitations in the coding system translate directly into limitations in the diagnosis-related groups (DRGs).
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The healthcare industry cannot accurately measure quality of care using ICD-9-CM. It is difficult to evaluate the outcome of new procedures and emerging health care conditions when there are not precise codes. Most importantly, we have a mission to improve our ability to measure health care services provided to our patients, enhance clinical decision-making, track public health issues, conduct medical research,
ICD-10 is Coming! ICD-10 Scope for Saint Thomas Health and Saint Thomas Physician Services
One Patient. One Chart.™ Makes Progress
• I CD-10-CM (Clinical Modifications) replaces ICD-9 Diagnostic Codes • I CD-10-CM will be used to identify diagnosis codes in all healthcare settings. • I CD-10-PCS (Procedure Coding System) replaces ICD-9 Procedure Codes • I CD-10-PCS will be used for facility reporting of hospital inpatient services. • N o impact on the existing outpatient procedure coding systems • C PT and HCPCS coding will still be used for physician and professional services and procedures performed in outpatient facilities, including hospital outpatient departments.
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ork toward One Patient. One Chart.™ has continued to be steady and strong in the recent months. With the end goal a single electronic health record per patient, Saint Thomas Health recently installed Tap & Go across the system. Tap & Go gives physicians the ability to log in to Cerner once and then tap in and tap out of computers throughout the day. The Tap & Go desktop stays the same no matter what device the physician is using and their current screen follows them as they move from computer to computer. Reducing desktop variation and providing faster access to clinical applications are part of Saint Thomas Health’s efforts to move from PCs, or personal computers, to clinical devices that contribute to a high reliability healthcare delivery environment. Tap & Go is a precursor to hospital-wide Computer Provider Order Entry (CPOE) implementation.
identify fraud and abuse and design our payment systems to ensure services are appropriately paid (American Health Information Management Association web site). ICD-10 is not only an issue for coders and health information management (HIM) professionals. Training and testing will be required for all employees who work with the data based on diagnosis and/or procedure codes. That includes providers, as well as anyone who processes, bills, collects or reports based on those codes.
“Tap & Go will make the transition to CPOE across the hospitals smoother,” said Randy Cox, Chief Information Officer for Saint Thomas Health. “With a stable desktop environment in place before CPOE implementation, it reduces uncertainty for physicians and allows for faster fixes when a device malfunctions.”
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MissionPoint Health Partners Announce Pioneering Partnership with BlueCross® Blue Shield® of Tennessee
I
n March 2013, MissionPoint Health Partners (MissionPoint), Saint Thomas Health’s accountable care organization (ACO), announced a partnership with BlueCross® Blue Shield® of Tennessee. The four year arrangement will make MissionPoint the exclusive ACO health plan to self-funded employer groups in Middle Tennessee. Launched in January 2012, MissionPoint has already demonstrated results in achieving the four key objectives of this partnership:
Jason Dinger, CEO of MissionPoint Health Partners, at the announcement of the BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee announcement.
• Enhancing the health status of the community • Reducing health care costs • Improving the patient experience • Enriching the lives of caregivers While ACOs were originally conceived to link payments to outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries, MissionPoint has shown it possible to deliver a higher quality of care while reducing health care costs to individuals, employers and entire populations of people.
The SmartHealth, ABS, MissionPoint confusion
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issionPoint Health Partners was launched at the same time that major changes to our benefit plans were announced. The new plan, SmartHealth, was vastly different than the plan that most associates were familiar with at the time. In addition, the third party payer changed from Blue Cross® Blue Shield® of Tennessee to ABS. Confusion among those covered, providers and the plan processors caused a lot of anxiety among associates. MissionPoint, while having no role in processing or approving claims, was often confused as the new insurance provider. Moving forward, as associates and providers adjust to the new plans, MissionPoint is excited to show more and more associates the additional services they can offer at no additional cost.
When you call MissionPoint, a Health Partner will be there to assist you with anything from navigating the health care system to setting wellness goals or sticking to your medical plan.
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Giving patients more access Saint Thomas Health launched the first phase of its patient portal, a website designed to
help Saint Thomas Health hospital patients be more involved in managing their care, in March.
The patient portal offers patients the chance to view medical records, access continuing care instructions, pay bills, update doctor and pharmacy information, pre-register for hospital procedures, schedule mammograms and check lab results online. Baptist Hospital was the first member of Saint Thomas Health, with Saint Thomas Hospital and Middle Tennessee Medical Center joining at the beginning of April, to utilize the technology within the health system. “I have had a lot of people that are very interested in the new program,” said Kim Boyd, admitting registrar at Baptist Hospital.
her medical records before I even explained about the patient portal so she was very pleased.” Use of the patient portal is not a requirement. Patients receive a personal identification number from an admissions staff member and then receive an email with a link to complete the enrollment process and create a username and password. It’s then up to the patient to activate their account. Patient security is still a top priority and Saint Thomas Health’s patient portal is compliant with the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that protects the privacy of patients and the release of any medical information without authorization.
Another associate, Dawn Montgomery, said that she has “had several patients that wanted pins and one patient was even asking about getting
To learn more about
the patient portal, go to http://youtu.be/5IyUyjzeqUg or scan the QR code on the right.
Health Partners are there to help MissionPoint members navigate a complex health care system. With coordination between the patients and the physician, Health Partners help the
patient meet their health goals. Here are just some of the services they provide: Navigation Health Partners help members and their families with working through the health care system – from finding a specialist to understanding a new diagnosis. Social services All of the health Partners can assist with social needs and make referrals to a Licensed Social Worker when needed. Health coaching Health Partners can help members develop plans to meet their goals whether it be to quit smoking, lose weight or better manage their blood pressure.
Chronic disease management If a member has a chronic illness the health Partners will contact them on a regular basis to assist them with resources, education and solving problems. Health Partners will even conduct a home visit to assess for disease triggers. Transition management Health partners will help the patient move from the hospital to home and begin to incorporate their discharge instructions into their daily self-care. To engage a Health Partner in your care, call 284-6808. There are no charges, no forms to fill out and no referral process required. Health Partners are there to help you.
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Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage
PAID
P.O. Box 380 Nashville, TN 37202
Nashville, TN Permit No. 2116
MEDiCal Mission — at home —
satuRDay, JunE 8, 10am-1:30pm
Church of Christ • 1115 Minerva Drive • Murfreesboro, TN 37130
FREE Medical Care, Dental Care, Eye Care and more...
omas
16 or life.
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