Firm I

Ability to sign physicians up for program.  Claims-based measures. 

In process.  To date, six physicians have signed up for the program.  Quarterly data collection began in October 2006. 

Firm II

Not yet determined.

In process of developing intervention.

Firm III

Cholesterol screening, HbA1c testing, and flu shot rates.  Outcome measures.

Pilot complete.  Actively managing 1,737 members.  Firm presented analysis they say did not find statistically significant difference in screening rates between treatment and comparison groups, but found outcomes of the treatment group to be slightly better than the comparison group.

Firm IV

Patient satisfaction and phone call assessments.

In process.  80-90% of nurse clinicians or physicians who interface with members have had cultural competency training.  Plans to finish training nurses in disease management in fall 2006 and broaden to larger portion of clinical staff in 2007.

Firm V

HEDIS scores.

Under development.  Plan will begin identifying "hot spots" from geocoding results in spring 2007.

Firm VI

Process measures (for example, HbA1c, LDL, and DLE testing/screening).

Program is expanding to all Spanish-speaking members.  Preliminary data show that areas participating in the intervention improved over nonparticipating areas on measures of HbA1c testing and screening for LDL and DLE.  Have begun to measure emergency room and inpatient care utilization. 

Firm VII

The number of members who picked up the medications.

Pilot complete.  Bi-lingual letters sent to 52 patients in region in April 2006.  Of these patients, 33 picked up the medications (63.5% response rate).  Pick-up rate was higher for women than men. Those who picked up medications were members who were more compliant/responsive in general.  Researchers would like to conduct follow-up phone calls to find out why the members did/did not pick up medications, but calls are not likely to take place (because of resource/time constraints).  Plans to expand to all Hispanic members in region (possibly as high as 50% of the region's 475,000 members).

Firm VIII

Clinical performance measures (HbA1c testing, etc.).  The number of members who contacted health coaches.

Analysis in process.  Plans to follow up with another phone call in September/October 2006 to identify race/ethnicity of members who requested the additional information.

Firm IX

Rate of annual eye exams.

Pilot complete.  115 people participated in the fall 2005 Stop and Shop event (20% of whom were the firm's members).  2.5% overall response rate among members. Now refining intervention to appeal to business managers and large group practice providers in underserved areas.