Officials introduce new patient care concept at medical town hall
Posted 12/8/2010
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by Monica Mendoza
21st Space Wing Public Affairs
12/8/2010 - PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) -- Beginning in June 2011, officials from the 21st Medical Group will launch the Air Force Surgeon General's Family Health Initiative program here, which aims to lower the number of patients assigned to an Air Force medical provider and assigns a back-up team that knows each patient's medical history, in case the patient's primary doctor is not available.
Col. John Sell, the 21st Medical Group commander, said he is looking forward to implementing this idea in the summer of 2011.
"This will be a much better way of how we deliver health care," Colonel Sell said.
Colonel Sell hosted two medical group town hall meetings here Dec. 2, to talk about the services the medical group provides and the changes on the horizon. In addition to the new initiative, Colonel Sell's executive team is working on ways to streamline the referral process, and will investigate ways to assist servicemembers who have children with disabilities.
The 21st Medical Group is one of the largest medical flights in Air Force Space Command, with a staff that keeps 322 primary care appointments each day. Each provider is assigned 1,500 patients.
Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Charles B. Green, the Air Force surgeon general, said he wants to reduce the number of patients assigned to each Air Force provider. He said he also was concerned that patients very often see different doctors every time they have an appointment, which can be frustrating to the patient and the doctor.
When he toured Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., in November, General Green described the Family Health Initiative as a medical home concept that focuses on the personal relationship between patient and provider.
The initiative is designed to create continuity of care for patients, providing them with a medical team consisting of a provider, a nurse and five technicians to partner with the patient, General Green said.
This year, the 21st Medical Group saw a 3 percent increase in the number of patients, putting enrollment up to 25,807. Part of the enrollment increase comes from Soldiers and their families stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., which had an influx of Soldiers recently relocated to the installation.
Under the initiative, the target enrollment for the 21st Medical Group is 24,500, Colonel Sell said.
He will not force any person enrolled in the 21st Medical Group to leave, he said. Instead, he is working with military medical officials across the region to find the right medical facilities for beneficiaries to use.
"We are looking at this closely to ensure we have the right amount of staff for patients that are enrolled for our medical group," Colonel Sell said.
Now, there is one provider for every 1,500 patients. Under the team concept, there will be two providers for every 2,500 patients, which reduces the ratio to one provider for every 1,250 patients, Colonel Sell said. The lower patient to provider ratio is expected to improve access.
More importantly, patients will have a team that knows them and their medical history, and they will not have to start over each time, he said.
"When a patient comes in and they see the same provider each and every time, they feel good," Colonel Sell said. "You go to your doctor, and you know them, and they know you, and you have that relationship, and that's what makes a very good opportunity for both (parties)." |
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