|
|
|
2003 Exemplary Practice Program- Asthma Award Winner
Blue Shield of California - San Francisco, California: Reach Your Peak
Reach Your Peak is a self-management program that supports the efforts made by clinicians to meet the challenge of educating their patients with asthma. Program interventions are based on the National Asthma Education Prevention Program (NAEPP) guidelines. Each enrolled member receives written and video materials as part of the plan's asthma "kit," along with a peak flow meter, other essential tools for asthma management, and telephonic registered nurse support for high-risk patients. Practitioners receive progress notes about their enrolled patients at 6, 12, and 24 months (based on patient survey response). Bi-monthly "patient highlights" reminder notes go to physicians of persistent asthma patients not receiving long term controller medications. Additionally, Continuing Medical Education (CMEs) courses related to asthma disease management are provided to network physicians annually. Program success has been demonstrated through emergency room utilization data analysis that showed a 47 percent reduction in emergency room visits after 12-months in the program. The 2001 plan's annual Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) results for the "Use of Appropriate Medications for People with Asthma" measure showed an 8.7 percent increase from the previous year. The health plan also exceeded the program's annual goal for patient satisfaction of 80 percent. Patients who have completed case management of the Reach Your Peak program show a positive return on investment, reflecting a $3.8 PMPM savings at three years.
|
