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PCP satisfaction with information received from organizational providers and specialists (NJ only)

May 1, 2013

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AmeriHealth New Jersey monitors and takes appropriate action to improve the continuity and coordination of care between primary care physicians (PCPs), specialists, and organizational providers (hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and emergency rooms). The PCP satisfaction survey is used to assess satisfaction with the rate of receipt and exchange of information between PCPs and specialists, as well as between PCPs and these three organizational provider types. In the fourth quarter of 2012, surveys were mailed to all 417 PCP practices in the AmeriHealth New Jersey network with 50 or more members; the survey had a 22.3 percent response rate.

Receipt of discharge summary

(Most/Always)

Organizational provider type

Receipt of discharge summary

Hospital

59.3%

Skilled nursing facility

51.2%

Emergency room

60.4%

The PCP satisfaction survey reflects that PCPs were most satisfied with the rate of receipt of discharge summaries from emergency rooms.

PCP satisfaction with exchange of information with organizational providers

(Very satisfied/Satisfied)

Provider type

Frequency

Quality

Timeliness

Confidentiality

Hospital

51.6%

62.0%

45.6%

82.0%

Skilled nursing facility

43.5%

46.5%

38.1%

73.5%

Emergency room

56.5%

59.8%

52.2%

82.2%

With respect to the flow of information from organizational providers, PCP satisfaction with confidentiality of information exchange was the highest area overall. PCPs were most satisfied with the frequency and timeliness of the information from emergency rooms. For quality, PCPs were the most satisfied with hospitals. PCPs were the least satisfied with the frequency, quality, timeliness, and confidentiality of information from skilled nursing facilities.

PCPs were also asked to assess their satisfaction with the exchange of information with select high-volume specialists and laboratories to ensure continuity and coordination of care in the management of patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and coronary artery disease.

PCP satisfaction with exchange of information with specialists and laboratories

(Very satisfied/Satisfied)

Specialist type

Frequency

Quality

Timeliness

Confidentiality

Cardiology

87.6%

91.1%

83.5%

92.3%

Endocrinology

74.2%

83.3%

83.5%

90.0%

Allergy/Pulmonary

84.3%

88.9%

73.6%

91.2%

Ophthalmology/Optometry

71.9%

83.3%

69.2%

88.8%

Laboratories

90.8%

88.2%

91.2%

91.1%

PCP satisfaction with the confidentiality of information exchange with all specialist types (except ophthalmology/optometry) and the flow of information from laboratories was above 90 percent. Satisfaction with the quality of information from cardiology and the frequency and timeliness of information exchange from laboratories was also above 90 percent. Opportunities for improvement were noted with respect to PCP satisfaction with the frequency of information exchange with endocrinology and ophthalmology/optometry and timeliness of information exchange with allergy/pulmonary and ophthalmology/optometry.

PCP satisfaction with the exchange of information with behavioral health practitioners represents an opportunity for improvement for all measures (ranging from 18.2 percent to 40 percent).

AmeriHealth New Jersey continues its efforts to promote communication between practitioners and organizational providers in order to enhance the continuity, coordination, quality, and safety of patient care including, but not limited to:

  • Member publications encourage members to take an active role in their care and to advise their PCP or personal physician of any urgent/emergent or inpatient care received, to allow for coordination of follow-up care.
  • Efforts to improve coordination of care between behavioral health providers and PCPs are ongoing and include the availability of overview guides on substance-use, depression, and suicide, which are available under Worksheets, Forms, and Guides within the Resources for Patient Management section of our website. The PCP to Behavioral Health Provider Communication Form, also available on our website, was instituted specifically to promote communication between PCPs and behavioral health providers.

In addition, AmeriHealth New Jersey will take steps to reinforce the importance of timely and appropriate dissemination of discharge information by participating organizational providers. We also encourage PCPs and specialists to ensure the exchange of information and to provide feedback to facilities, as appropriate, regarding the frequency, quality, timeliness, and confidentiality of information received from organizational providers. Our goal is to facilitate coordination of care management and to ensure the healthiest outcomes for our members.

Thank you to those providers who participated in the 2012 survey.

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