BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health Connexions™ announces two new initiatives for physicians to ensure optimal diagnosis and treatment are being implemented, physicians stay up-to-date on best practices, and reimbursement is maintained based on quality outcomes derived from evidence-based medicine: a PE&PS™ (Practice or Chart Audit) program or a PAPO™ (Observational Survey) program.
To keep their licenses current, all physicians and other health care practitioners must complete Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities. The most impactful activities are those that incorporate self-reflection regarding how the physician practices medicine. The best self-reflective method, to ensure optimal learning, is called a Practice or Chart Audit.
These programs can qualify a physician to obtain anywhere from 20 to 50 CME credits upon completion of the Practice Audit. At Health Connexions, we call our tested Chart Audit methodology a Physician Education & Patient Screening™ program, or PE&PS™ program. Here is how a Practice Audit is described in North America:
-
PHYSICIAN CHART
AUDIT or Practice Audit, described as:
- Performance Improvement Activity (PI CME via the American Medical Association) OR
- Personalized Learning Initiative (Meeting Criterion 11, 12, 23, 29 and 36 of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education in the US) OR
- Practice Audit and Quality Assurance Program (Qualifying for Mainpro-M1 credits from The College of Family Physicians of Canada) OR
- Chart Audit and Feedback (Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Program)
Another excellent way for physicians and other practitioners, like nurses or pharmacists, to gain self-reflective knowledge is to complete an OBSERVATIONAL SURVEY, which includes patient feedback and opinions. This type of survey allows a practitioner to consider their behavior, experiences, and educational needs regarding how they make choices in practicing medicine. The Health Connexions tested methodology is a Patient and Physician Opinions™ program, or PAPO™ program.
Health Connexions works with medical associations, universities, hospitals, patient associations and the industry to develop Practice Audit and Observational Survey programs that meet the educational needs of each organization.
All of these varied organizations are fundamentally patient-care organizations. And, they are sitting on more data than has ever been imagined before in health care. From the clinical data, to increased lab testing, genetic testing and personalized medicine, to apps, wearables and ingestables … the avalanche of Big Data is just beginning. From all of this, physicians must still be able to understand the data, look for patterns, incorporate best practices and new guidelines for care – all at a breakneck pace. Through CME programs, and particularly through Chart Audits and Observational Surveys, there is an opportunity to study, collect trends, reflect and change how one practices medicine.
There is a strong trend towards utilizing this data, and the aforementioned advanced technologies, to drive towards better results and better quality clinical outcomes. This is particularly important as these quality outcomes are being tied into reimbursement, including new reimbursement schema under ObamaCare (the Affordable Care Act).
As stated by Dawn Van Dam, President and CEO of Health Connexions, “Those organizations that have good data on what their outcomes will be, and are implementing changes in patient care based on programs like Chart Audits, will be in a stronger position as they negotiate with payers. Implementing evidence-based medicine is a change that is foundational to ObamaCare, as we move from a piecemeal form of healthcare to a more holistic, preventative approach.”
A Chart Audit or Observational Survey allows clinicians to take the lead in understanding the data, making recommendations, and applying that back to generate better outcomes. With these tools supporting evidence-based medicine, physicians can be more involved and proactive, rather than reacting to a scorecard after-the-fact, which is what happens historically. Under ObamaCare, and with the wealth of data available, these tools allow physicians to make decisions based on evidence, thereby producing better outcomes.
