Catholic Medical Center (CMC) has been recognized with the 2014 UnitedHealthcare PATH Excellence in Patient Service Award for meeting quality metrics in caring for Medicare Advantage members.
The PATH program was developed by UnitedHealthcare to help improve outcomes for its Medicare Advantage members by encouraging greater use of preventive health care services. The PATH Excellence in Service Award is based on clinical results that measure how successfully practices have closed gaps in patient care.
“At CMC we care for primary care patients in a medical home model, which means patients have care coordinators working with them to make sure they are taking steps to prevent illness and improve wellness,” said Joseph Pepe, MD, President and CEO, CMC.
Through the PATH program physicians track and identify gaps in patients’ care with the goal of improving health outcomes. The types of indicators being examined include adherence to medication schedules, management of diabetes, blood pressure or cholesterol, and breast or colorectal cancer screenings. These are quality measures based on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services HEDIS tool, which identifies important dimensions of health care and service.
“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fewer than half of adults 65 and older are up to date with their core preventive services, despite the fact that nearly all of these services are covered by Medicare and Medicaid,” notes Sam Ho, MD, Chief Medical Officer of UnitedHealthcare. “These awards are an example of how we are supporting the transition to a value-based health care system in which payment is increasingly based on ensuring the people we serve receive the quality care they need.”
Physicians who meet the PATH program’s clinical and quality goals for patient health outcomes are recognized annually for their efforts. In 2014, CMC was one of three practices in NH and 1,000 nationwide that successfully met the program’s goals. CMC met the most quality measures of NH providers, achieving 5-star ratings in nine of 11 areas.
in the photo:
Joseph Pepe, MD, President and CEO, CMC is accepts the UnitedHealthcare PATH Excellence in Patient Service Award from UnitedHealthcare's Ritza Ramirez-Gullo.