A bi-weekly newsletter from your physician organization
Friday, June 3, 2022
National Cancer Survivors Day helps promote screenings
National Cancer Survivors Day is Sunday, June 5, providing a great opportunity to remind patients to complete important cancer screenings!

An estimated 20,600 Michiganders will be diagnosed with cancer in 2022, according to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). Cancer screenings dropped over the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A report by the National Cancer Institute estimates that 9.4 million screenings were missed in 2020 and the impact of these missed screenings may not be felt for years.

Don't forget that The Physician Alliance offers education materials for breast cancer and colorectal cancer screenings, plus the importance of a Pap test and HPV test. These free materials can help initiate conversations with patients. Member also have access to TPA's gaps in care toolkit with a letter template, social media graphics to promote these screenings and more.

Michigan's Department of Health & Human Services also offers resources for screenings and treatment. Several of these provide support for low income and under-insured residents, including the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Navigation Program.
Join the care management work group
As more emphasis is placed on improving patient care while decreasing costs, care management continues to grow as an important opportunity to manage the health of a defined population.

This care process can assist physicians in coordinating care and engaging patients and caregivers in effectively managing health conditions. Care management is meant to provide appropriate interventions for individuals within a given population to help reduce health risks and decrease the cost of care.

The Physician Alliance launched a care manager work group earlier this year to bring
practice care managers together for support and information-sharing. The monthly work group provides opportunities for care managers to:

  • learn updates on relevant programs, such as provider-delivered care management (PDCM)
  • hear care management best practices
  • get insight on coding tips
  • learn about education materials to assist with patient care
  • ask questions about programs, coding and more

TPA practice care managers interested in attending the work group should contact Sharon Kraydich, MSN, RN at Sharon.kraydich@thephysicianalliance.org.
New Blue Cross, Blue Care provider portal launches soon
A reminder that the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) and Blue Care Network (BCN) physician portal is transitioning at the end of June. The last day to access BCBSM and BCN’s Provider Secured Services and web-DENIS is June 21, 2022.

The new physician portal will be Availity Essentials. Register for an account at the Blue Cross and BCN Welcome to Availity webpage.
 
After registering, your Availity administrator will need to take additional steps for users to access e-referral and Health e-Blue. For more information and to get support, go to Blue Cross and BCN’s web tools page. You can also view the the Availity provider portal FAQ here.
Webinar offers better understanding of HIPAA

Although published by the Department of Health and Human Services almost 23 years ago, the HIPAA Privacy Rule is still resulting in questions, clarifications, and confusion. This presentation will discuss the common, and not-so-common, questions related to the Privacy Rule as it relates to minors, sensitive information, and deceased patients. The 2020 Ciox Health decision, and its impact on medical record copying charges, will also be discussed.

Click here for more details to register. An on-demand recording will be available for those unable to attend the live webinar. Physician and nursing continuing education credits are available.
The latest healthcare news
Ways you can save
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