In this issue

• Top News
  • 2023 Quality Results
• Hot Topics
  • Mental Health First Aid
• Metric Spotlight
  • Wellness Visits
• Clinic Spotlight
  • Hot Springs Pediatric Clinic
• Save the Date!
  • MHFA Classes, 3rd Quarter webinar
  • Preventive Health Visits Live Webinars
• Personal Touch

Top News

The Results are In!

We are pleased to report that practices participating in Primary Care value-based programs in 2023 exceeded all expectations! Care teams in participating clinics worked hard in 2023 and had great results – which translates into higher quality of care for patients.

According to the Arkansas State Health Assessment 2023, the leading causes of death in Arkansas include Heart Disease, Cancer, Chronic Lung Disease, Stroke and Diabetes. Clinics that help patients to control blood pressure, reduce diabetes A1c, increase cancer screenings and medication adherence play a significant role in the health of Arkansans.

Utilization metrics

Helping patients to keep chronic conditions under control will minimize unnecessary hospital utilization and help reduce the cost of care. The utilization metrics tracked in 2023 include Emergency Department per 1,000, Inpatient Admissions per 1,000 and Generic Prescribing Rate.

32 clinics met all 3 utilization targets every quarter, all year!

Quality metrics

The General Track quality metrics for 2023 included controlling blood pressure and diabetes A1c, medication adherence and cancer screenings.

50.6% of 2023 PCF General Track clinics met 5 or more metrics (40/79)

• 6 clinics met all 8:
  • Arkansas Family Care Network
  • Baptist Health Family Clinic Lakewood
  • Baptist Health Family Clinic West
  • Medical Associates of NW AR - MANA
  • No Central AR Medical Assoc.
  • Sherwood Family Medical Ctr.

23.9% of 2023 PCMH General Track clinics met 5 or more metrics (52/218)

• 3 clinics met all 8:
  • B Brooks Lawrence MD PA
  • St. Vincent Inf. Medical Center Phys
  • Sophia Meyer Family Medicine – Van Buren

The Pediatric Track quality metrics were focused on prevention and asthma medication adherence. Many diseases that were previously seen mostly in adults are now being diagnosed in children. Prevention is key to helping patients avoid future complications as much as possible.

64.7% of 2023 PCF Pediatric Track clinics met 5 or more metrics (11/17)

• 3 clinics met all 8:
  • Conway Children’s Clinic
  • Pediatric Partners PA
  • Sherwood Family Medical Center

37.7% of 2023 PCMH Pediatric Track clinics met 5 or more metrics (20/53)

• 3 clinics met all 8:
  • Arkansas Pediatric Clinic PLLC
  • Little Rock Children’s Clinic
  • Living Tree Pediatrics

Payments for Quality performance were made in July 2024, totaling $5,047,031.00!

Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield is dedicated to promoting primary care in Arkansas and believe that Primary Care is the backbone of the health system. We thank you for your dedication to your patients and congratulate you on your success!

Hot Topics

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield to host mental health first aid certification classes

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield (ABCBS) has announced the 2024 dates for their free mental health first aid (MHFA) certification courses, including dates in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Pine Bluff, and Rogers. Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield states over 1,000 residents have received their MHFA certifications since the program launched in 2023. One in five Americans reportedly live with mental illness, and nearly half of all Americans will struggle with it at some point in their lives.

Mental health first aid training is incredibly important in helping individuals provide initial support to someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis or developing a mental health problem. These courses can equip people with the knowledge and skills needed to recognize the signs of mental health issues, provide assistance, and guide individuals to appropriate professional help when needed. Mental health first aid training can help reduce stigma, increase understanding, and ultimately save lives.

“These Mental Health First Aid classes help bridge a vital gap between Arkansans who are experiencing a mental health challenge and connecting them with behavioral health services,” said Arkansas Blue Cross President and CEO Curtis Barnett. “Nearly all of us know someone personally who has been affected, and observance skills learned in this training could literally help change and save lives.”

Here are the dates and times:

• August 24 – Rogers, 4602 W. Walnut St.

If you or anyone you know are interested in participating in one of these MHFA certification courses you may reserve a spot at arkansasbluecross.com/firstaid. It could be a valuable opportunity to learn how to support mental health and well-being in your community. As part of the class, participants will complete two hours of online pre-work, followed by the six-hour in-person class.

For additional dates and locations or to learn more about Mental Health First Aid, visit https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/

Metric Spotlight

Regular check-ups are an important way to keep track of a child’s health and physical, emotional, and social development. Each child develops differently, both mentally and physically. Well-child visits are important as they may detect medical and behavioral health issues early, keep immunizations up to date, and provide an opportunity for both parent and child to ask their provider about any concerns they have. However, parents work schedules and children’s school schedules sometimes make it hard to get those well-child visits completed.

As of April 2024, the Arkansas Department of Education Data Center lists almost 100 schools across the state as enrolled or enrolling in a 4-day week schedule. A University of Arkansas study showed that the shortened schedule had no measurable negative impact on student’s academic growth.

Here is a list of these schools by county:

Hot Springs schools announced in July that they will begin a new all year schedule with the start of this school year. The new school year will start the first week of August and will cut the summer off session by four weeks. They will instead hold multiple weeklong breaks throughout the school year with the first break the week of Labor Day.

These new school schedules open up opportunities for gap closure in wellness visits. An extra open day in the week allows for scheduling wellness visits without missing a day of school

References: 5News/KFSMD, Arkansas Department of Education Data Center, and University of Arkansas. Please note: data is as of April 2024, and is subject to change/update

The Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield PCF program has three wellness quality metrics:

WCV-15 MO. 6 Visits: Percentage of patients who turned 15 months old during the performance period who receive at least six wellness visits in their first 15 months.

WCV Age 15 Mos. to 30 Mos. of age 2 or More Visits: Percentage of patients who turned 30 months old during the measurement year: Two or more well-child visits

WCV 3-21 Years Child and Adolescent: Percentage of patients 3-21 years of age who had at least one comprehensive well-care visit with a PCP or OB/GYN practitioner during the measurement year.

Along with the wellness visit gaps, PCP’s can also close four additional quality metrics at the same time of a wellness visit. These four additional metrics are:

Weight Assessment for Children/Adolescents: Percentage of patients 3-17 years of age that had an outpatient visits with a PCP or OB/GYN and had a reported BMI.

Weight Assessment and Nutritional Counseling for Children/Adolescents: Percentage of patients 3-17 years of age that had an outpatient visit with a PCP or OB/GYN and had a nutrition counseling during the report period.

Weight Assessment and Physical Activity Counseling for Children/Adolescents: Percentage of patients 3-17 years of page that had an outpatient visit with PCP or OB/GYN and had physical activity counseling during the report period.

Behavioral Health Screening: Percentage of patients 12 years of age or older who have screened for depression or anxiety during a standardized tool during the measurement year.

Closing these four gaps does require a code for each metric. These codes can be found on the quality metric strategy pages located in the APP portal under Resources.

Clinic Spotlight: Hot Springs Pediatric Clinic

Hot Springs Pediatric Clinic is a well-established and highly regarded pediatric clinic in the Hot Springs area, with a strong focus on providing quality healthcare services for children and adolescents. Hot Springs Pediatrics is conveniently located next to the National Park Medical Center and close to Hot Springs' historical downtown. Hot Springs Pediatrics has been a fixture in the community for almost 50 years. The clinic was selected as one of 7 sites to pilot the Healthy Steps program, an evidence-based initiative that promotes the health, well-being, and school readiness of babies and toddlers, with a focus on family and community connections. The clinic has been participating in value-based care programs for several years, transitioning from the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model to the Primary Care First (PCF) program in 2023, achieving success in these programs.

Hot Springs Pediatric Clinic actively engages with the community through social media, employee spotlights, and showcasing community service resources such as food pantries. The clinic and its providers have received several accolades and recognitions, including being listed as a top 3 pediatric clinic in Arkansas by AY Magazine, winning the 2022 Small Business of the Year award from the Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce, and individual recognitions like being chosen as a Power Woman of Arkansas.

All pediatricians at Hot Springs Pediatric Clinic are certified through the American Board of Pediatrics, ensuring a high standard of care for their young patients. The clinic has a diverse staff composition with 1 DO, 2 MDs, and 3 Nurse Practitioners, ensuring comprehensive care for their patients. Dr. Cannon, Betsy Efird, and several staff members are fluent in Spanish, helping to remove language barriers and provide inclusive healthcare services to a diverse patient population.

Overall, Hot Springs Pediatric Clinic is a well-rounded clinic that not only focuses on providing excellent medical care but also actively engages with the community and strives for continuous improvement and innovation in healthcare delivery.

Meet the providers of Hot Springs Pediatric Clinic:

Pictured from left to right:

Dr. Jessica Cannon, Dr. Sarah Hardy, Dr. Julia Togami, Kristin Dunn APRN, Betsy Efird APRN, Brooke Ferguson APRN

Save the Date

Mental Health First Aid Classes

• August 24 – 4602 W. Walnut St., Rogers, AR

3rd Quarter Webinar

• September 11th and 12th, 2024

Preventative Health Visits Webinar: Information You Asked For!

Presented by: Kim Hahn, CPC, CDEO, CRCC, Risk Adjustment Provider Engagement Specialist at Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield

Dates with Links to Register, all times from 11:30 – 12:30

• August 22nd
  • Webinar Registration - Zoom
• September 12th
  • Webinar Registration - Zoom
• September 24th
  • Webinar Registration - Zoom
• October 10th
  • Webinar Registration - Zoom
• October 15th
  • Webinar Registration - Zoom

Personal Touch: Leisa Hobson

Leisa Hobson, MHP, HIA, HCSA, is the Project Coordinator of Primary Care Programs. She has been with Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield Primary Care Department for 7 years. Leisa comes from a background of 30+ years in primary care practice management and administration in both independent practices and health system clinics.

Leisa lives near Fordyce with her husband of 40 years. They have one daughter and two grandsons. She enjoys spending time with her family and her church.

Leisa states, “I feel that my purpose at Arkansas BlueCross BlueShield is to be a voice for primary care practices. I understand the issues that many clinics face and I bring that perspective to our primary care programs.”

Primary Care Team

• Missy Davis, Director
• Adam Whitlock, Manager
• Amanda Barber, Primary Care Representative
• Harry Bounds, Primary Care Representative
• Melissa El Houri, Primary Care Representative
• Leisa Hobson, Project Coordinator
• Dana King, Primary Care Representative
• Xinyu Li, Data Analyst
• Sonya Martin, Senior Data Analyst
• Tina Zimmerman, Primary Care Representative