This is an internal Advocate Aurora Health newsletter and safe to open. Use Chrome for best viewing. |
|
In this issue
- Mandatory Courses
- Updated Provider Agreements
- Leadership Announcements
- Epic Updates
Note: When accessing APP Pro links below, you may need to sign in again if you are not taken directly to the referenced page or information.
|
|
Top 3 Priorities
Gary Stuck, DO, FAAFP, CEO, APP | Chief Medical Officer
Don Calcagno, President, APP | SVP, Population Health & Managed Care
Over recent months, we've shared the three areas of focus to improve patient care and maximize performance. Below is a recap. Thank you, as always, for delivering the highest quality care for our patients.
- Quality:
-
Screenings: It’s important to ensure patients to have all appropriate annual screenings, many of which are measured for Medicare Advantage Stars. We send targeted communications to your patients through our robust patient outreach program. Please continue to address when you see your patients.
-
Medicare Advantage Stars: In addition to screening measures, there is a focus on condition control and medication adherence. A key strategy is to write 90-day prescriptions refillable for a year.
- Clinical Risk Adjustment:
-
Chronic Condition Refresh: This is essential to close care gaps, ensure conditions are well managed and connect patients to various care and disease management programs. It also ensures we receive the right revenue from payors to manage the disease burden of our patients. Our Clinical Risk Adjustment Consultants and here to support you.
-
Medicare Wellness Visit (MWV): These highly reimbursed visits are important to close care gaps and capture chronic conditions. Let your office staff know we are reaching out to patients to call and schedule.
- Readmissions/Utilization:
-
Transitional Care Management (TCM): It’s critically important to get patients in for a TCM visit shortly after a hospital discharge, ideally within 2-7 days. Care transitions nurses help you meet the requirements of this visit by making an initial TCM call for patients who are at high risk for readmission to make sure they have a TCM visit scheduled after discharge. It's important for you to perform these visits on all patients.
|
|
John Piotrowski, MD has been named Medical Director of Advocate Condell PHO and Good Shepherd PHO, effective June 27. Read the announcement here.
Michael Iwanicki, DO has been named Population Health Medical Director for Alternative Payment Models, effective July 2. Read the announcement here.
|
|
Mandatory Course Reminders
CI-1 overview for APP aligned physicians in eUniversity
- Completion by July 31, 2022 – mid-tier target (partial points)
- Completion by Sept. 30, 2022 – low tier target (partial points)
Compliance education in Workday
With the release of Workday, all Advocate Aurora Health team members (employed and non-employed) are being assigned mandatory education through Workday Extended Enterprise Learning (EEL). Non-employed APP aligned providers have historically taken Compliance Education in eUniversity and this is now moving to Workday EEL. This is due by Sept. 30. Learn more.
|
|
Updated Provider Agreements: Aug. 8 Deadline |
|
New for 2022, all PPAs will be executed at a group/TIN level and cover all the credentialed physicians and APCs in your group. Key changes to the document include:
- removal of the Primary Care Medical Home Certification requirement for primary care practices,
- change in reference from Advocate Health to Advocate Aurora Health,
- enhanced language on HIPAA, data sharing, and CMS/Medicare compliance requirements
- emphasis on timely reporting of accurate provider information to comply with the increase in CMS and state data integrity requirements and the No Surprises Act.
|
|
Supporting Your Practice
Clinical Integration weekly update: View the latest program update.
Patient outreach: We are conducting patient outreach on your behalf to support quality outcomes and close quality care gaps. Read more.
Support Resource: The senseless tragedy in Highland Park leaves us with a deep feeling of anger and despair as once again gun violence has cut multiple lives short and seriously injured many others. If you are in need of support, please contact Advocate Aurora's confidential, no-cost 24/7 Employee Assistance Program at 800-775-0304 –which is available for APP aligned physicians
Roe vs. Wade update: Since June 24, the date the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe vs. Wade, Advocate Aurora Women’s Health leadership has partnered with service lines and Legal and Compliance departments to address questions related to reproductive health care delivery for our patients. In both Wisconsin and Illinois, Advocate Aurora will continue to:
- Offer pregnancy counseling and contraceptive care, including emergency contraception, to patients,
- Treat ectopic pregnancies urgently, either surgically or medically based on the patient’s signs and symptoms,
- Offer clinically appropriate options for the management of miscarriage in shared decision-making with our patients, and
- Collaborate across our service lines and health system so that, together, we will provide the best care possible for our patients and communities.
Devoted Health update: Effective July 1, APP Devoted members will receive additional care coordination support from Devoted Health Plan’s clinical programs targeting our mutual patients with uncontrolled diabetes and/or hypertension, in addition to APP’s programs. This means you/your practice may be receiving a call from a Devoted Health Plan clinician with recommendations to assist the patient reach therapeutic goals. Learn more.
Medicare counselors: Medicare can be confusing to navigate for your patients. Advocate Aurora Medicare counselors provide free counseling and support services sponsored by the Illinois Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). Learn more.
Monkeypox update: It remains important to be educated and prepared on Monkeypox. Review the latest updates. Advocate Aurora is in ongoing discussions with local public health departments in Illinois and Wisconsin to ensure we are well prepared to meet the needs of our patients including post exposure prophylactic vaccination. More information will be shared as they are finalized.
Global contrast shortage update: Advocate Aurora is back to 80% of historical contrast use, with no restrictions to clinical services provided while conservation measures continue in our Radiology and Cardiology service lines to align with current and anticipated on hand supply of contrast.
Lorazepan injection shortage: There is currently a nationwide shortage of lorazepam injection due to production delays and increased demand. The duration of this shortage is unclear, but it is not expected to last long. See this SBAR for more details.
Pharmacy & Therapeutics June updates: Review the Advocate Aurora Pharmacy and Therapeutics ambulatory and system committee decisions, including new formulary agents for outpatient use including efgartigimod (Vyvgart) for myasthenia gravis and ropeginterferon alfa-2b-njft (Besremi) for patients with polycythemia vera. Read summary.
Top Cancer Doctors: We recently shared that 75+ Advocate Aurora physicians in the Chicagoland area, nominated by their peers, made the Chicago Magazine Top Cancer Doctors list. View updated press release.
Aortic Stenosis Quality Initiative: The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Valvular Heart Disease guidelines recommend the early referral of patients with aortic stenosis to a Heart Valve Program for evaluation and management. You may receive a fax if a patient meets the criteria suggestive of moderate or severe aortic stenosis as per the ACC/AHA guidelines. You will be asked to consider placing a referral to the outpatient valve clinic in your area or to enter a cardiology consult for inpatients.
|
|
Epic Updates
Citrix Login Changes: Effective July 22, the legacy link for your Citrix login will be deactivated. In an effort to eliminate the need for Yubi Keys while sharing workstations, Advocate Aurora Health has deployed a new fix and you will need to use https://ecc.aah.org/ as your new Citrix login link. Please remove the old link as your favorite and add the new link as your favorite. Attached are the new instructions to follow to log into Citrix. Beginning August 1, 2022, the AAH HIT team will be reaching out to your practice to schedule a time to pick up the loaner Yubi Keys and laptops. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us for questions at 630.990.7000 (option 3 for Epic, then option 3 for Epic Connect) or via email at emroperationssupport@aah.org
Coming Aug. 1: Default paperless billing in LiveWell: Advocate Aurora Health is turning on default paperless billing for active LiveWell users Aug. 1 to further enhance the security of health information while making the payment process easy and convenient for patients. When statements are ready to view in LiveWell, patients will receive monthly notifications via email and/or text notification. You can turn on paperless billing statements in advance under Quick Links > Manage Billing.
Time saving so big, it’s Epic! Become a better Epic user in just one hour! Epic sponsors virtual classes, known as Efficiency Hours, which are available to any physician at no charge. Come and learn tips and tricks that will make your life easier and get you out of the clinics faster. You can earn CME from each class taken. Click here to get more information and see how to sign up.
Additional Updates
|
|
Option 1 – 1:1 Demos
We are ready to work with APP physicians to schedule personal demos for you and your staff.
In these sessions you will see how Epic can support your clinical and financial success in your practice.
|
|
Option 2 – Drop-In Demos
- Participants will have an opportunity to view a demonstration of Epic Connect ambulatory clinical workflows and engage in Q&A with our Epic Connect support staff.
- Duration 1 hour
- Intended Audience: Physicians, practice managers and clinical staff
- Frequency of webinars: 3 drop in sessions listed below
-
Friday 8/5 – 12:30-1:30 p.m.
-
Friday 8/26 – 12-1 p.m.
-
Wednesday – 8/31 12-1 p.m.
|
|
Continuing Medical Education and Events |
|
MEDtalks: The Mothers of Modern Medicine
Thursday, July 21 | noon – 1 p.m.
Join us with guest speaker, Jessica Richardson, MD, in exploring the history surrounding gynecological care of Black patients and how we can do better as a medical community to address the needs of Black women.
|
|
Anti-Racism and Anti-Hate Forum
July 21, 27, Aug. 2, 3
Attend one of the four open discussions on Central Chicagoland survey results related to professional and personal experiences of racism, bias, discrimination and hate in the workplace.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
