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September 28, 2023

In this issue

• Supporting Your Practice
• Epic Updates
• Elevating Our Expertise
• Honoring APCs
• Hispanic Heritage in Health Care
• CME



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.

Operations updates: View the latest operational updates including APP claims submission information, immunization code reminders and more.

Population health outreach: We are conducting patient outreach on your behalf to support quality outcomes and close quality care gaps. Learn more.

Reminder: Submit directly to Humana Commercial HMO Plans: Effective July 1, 2023, APP and Humana ended the existing delegation agreement for this line of Commercial HMO business as Humana intends to exit the Commercial HMO business by Dec. 31, 2024. This means all authorizations and claims for dates of service July 1, 2023 and forward must be submitted directly to Humana for management and payment. Learn more.

Understand new CMS condition categories: CMS has overhauled its HCC model, including restructured condition categories along with major diagnosis deletions and additions. Register for a webinar on Oct. 3 or 4 to learn more or watch the recording.

Pediatric Pneumococcal Vaccines Changes: Effective Sept. 12, we transitioned from PCV13 to PCV20 for pediatric patients, after learning Illinois VFC programs will no longer offer PCV13. The transition was based on the majority vote at ACIP and practice adopted by the CDC. 

Don't delay! Flu shot deadline Oct. 24: Getting a flu shot is required for APP physicians to promote a safe working environment, helping to prevent transmission among teams, patients and our communities. Use TrackMy to help schedule and verify flu vaccinations. Learn more on how to comply.

What’s the time frame for reporting critical test results?: Review these Advocate Health policies and procedures, including a consistent approach for communicating critical test results to the clinician.

Medicare Annual Enrollment Period: This begins Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Eligible individuals can join, drop or change Medicare coverage. We partner with Devoted Health to offer a Medicare Advantage (MA) plan and remain in network with other major MA plans. To prepare for questions, learn how MA plans benefit patients and direct them to our website. Note: Open enrollment for ACA plans will also launch Nov. 1. Stay tuned for more information. 

Overdue prescriptions for Devoted Medicare Advantage members: Now through year end, Devoted will be contacting MA plan members who are overdue for a prescription fill to ensure patients receive their medication on time and to support medication adherence. Patients will be offered a Care OnDemand appointment with a Devoted Medical provider and may receive a new prescription, in which case their primary care provider will receive a faxed note for awareness. Efforts will also be made to reengage the patient with their primary care provider if this occurs. 

Online Scheduling live for Epic Connect practices: As of Sept. 25, 31 APP aligned primary care practices are live with online scheduling in LiveWell and the Advocate website, allowing patients to schedule their care when, where and how it is easiest for them. While this would be a significant undertaking outside of this program, it’s a valuable feature of being part of APP and Epic Connect.

Bringing Epic support across the pond: With an international reputation as an expert in the use of technology to provide safe, high-quality care, 100 teammates will be supporting an Epic Go Live in London. Taking place Oct. 5, this is the largest Epic Go Live in the UK to date – supported by Advocate Health, one of the largest Epic customers in the world, and other organizations on Epic. Teammates from IT, clinical informatics, lab, pharmacy and revenue cycle will provide at-the-elbow support at seven hospitals and numerous clinics. This is funded by the National Health Service, and teammates were selected given their Epic expertise. We anticipate more opportunities for teammates in the future. Stay tuned for a behind-the-scenes look. 

Epic Update: Ambulatory Epic Connect: Reduction of 20,000 In Basket messages per month, TB Skin Test and more.

Epic Update: Hospital edition: Inpatient lab ordering BPAs, September order set/therapy plan communication, new MRI order set for Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device (CIED) patients and more.

Additional Things to Know

Together as One – new training dates: The Together as One Program is a trauma-informed peer support initiative that enables physicians and APCs to recognize and intervene when a peer is impacted by stress within the workplace. Register now.

Nationwide blood supply shortage: There’s a nationwide emergency appeal for blood and platelet donors. O blood types are especially needed. Consider donating at an on-site October blood drive and be very conservative with blood products. In stable patients, give one unit and check laboratory values before ordering a second.

Service Line Leadership announcements: As we advance our Service Line integration, we are pleased to share the latest Medical Director appointments and selections.



Can people with rectal cancer skip surgery?: The Advocate Aurora Research Institute is participating in a new National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trial investigating whether rectal cancer surgery, which can have life-changing ramifications, is truly necessary. Learn more.

Elevating Our Expertise

Keeping more people out of the hospital: Gary Stuck DO FAAFP, APP CEO and Advocate Health CMO, was featured in Becker's Hospital Review discussing our commitment to value-based care and helping patients live fully at lower costs, including our strong MSSP results. Learn more.

Honoring Advance Practice Clinicians

We are celebrating APCs in alignment with national APC Week. Please take a few minutes to thank your APC colleagues.

Hispanic Heritage in Health Care

Continuing Medical Education

2nd Annual Healthy Active Living (HAL) Conference: Pediatric obesity

Thursday, Oct. 26, 8 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Learn innovative ways to manage and treat pediatric obesity. Virtual and in-person in Oak Lawn, IL.

Registration now open for the 2023 Women’s Leadership Conference 

Thursday, November 16, 1-5 p.m.

For physicians, the 2023 conference theme is “Breaking the Mold: Cultivating New Leadership Styles to Thrive in Complex Systems,” featuring nationally renowned executive coach and speaker, Janet Dombrowski as well as Advocate Health clinician leaders.

If you wish to join us in person for this event, please email cpl@atriumhealth.org. See the event flyer to share with colleagues.

Upcoming CME and events

Virtual unless specified otherwise 

Sept. 29: 9th Annual Narrative Medicine Conference (virtual and in-person)

Oct 3: MEDtalks: Managing increased breast cancer risk

Oct. 3: Practice pitfalls: How to avoid allegations of sexual misconduct (IL law focus)

Oct. 5: Medical Staff Grand Rounds: Documentation do's and don'ts (Part 2)

Oct. 5: Common Conundrums in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Conference (in-person only)

Oct 6: 14th Annual Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium (virtual and in-person)

Oct. 6: Family Medicine Fall Conference (virtual and in-person)

Oct 12: Digital portal adoption among primary care patients with hypertension

Oct 18: Current practices in wound care

Oct. 19: MEDtalks: Respiratory viral season update

Oct. 26: 2nd Annual Healthy Active Living (HAL) Conference: Pediatric obesity (virtual and in-person)

Nov. 3: 11th Annual Advanced Heart Failure Symposium (virtual and in-person)

Nov 3: 19th Annual Trauma Symposium: Livin' the dream (in-person only)

Nov 3: National Acute Care for Elders (ACE) Conference

Nov. 16: 2023 Women's Leadership Conference (non-CME; virtual and in-person)