HealthTexas Provider Network (HTPN) and the system have been working together for the past nine years to improve access to care for residents of North Texas. HealthTexas is a multi-specialty medical group that employs over 920+ physicians and 250+ advanced practice providers practicing in more than 340 care delivery sites in the North Texas area. This medical group practice is composed of 101 primary care centers and 232 specialty care clinics. In FY15, HealthTexas reported more than 2.2 million patient visits. As a prominent medical group in the community, HTPN employs physicians in both primary and specialty care for the system. Together, we are able to leave a significant impact on the community.
An Impact Through Patient Centered Medical Homes
For 24 years, HTPN has grown to become a robust primary care enterprise capable of supporting a comprehensive care delivery system and responding to healthcare reform. HTPN has successfully implemented initiatives that promote quality, accessibility, affordability, chronic disease management, preventive health and coordinated care across the continuum. HTPNs growth in primary care allows the system to serve its communities and counteract the health professions shortage and lack of access to primary care. As of May 2016, 73 primary care clinics obtained National Committee for Quality Assurance recognition as Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH). By creating a network of PCMHs, HTPN patients receive enhanced access to primary care services as well as improved coordination of care. HTPN also has 90 specialty centers and expanded its outreach presence to include heart, kidney and liver clinics in rural areas outside of DFW.
An Impact Through Care Coordination
HTPNs network of PCMHs lays a solid foundation for care coordination by allowing physicians and clinical staff to effectively and efficiently coordinate patient care and facilitate seamless transitions among multiple providers across care settings. HTPN helps the system coordinate care to address patients' needs at all stages of life from acute care to preventive care, chronic care transitional care and end-of-life care. The primary care physician is the hub of all relevant care needs of the patient and manages a team of care coordinators and other non-physician providers that not only coordinate care between HTPN offices, but also seamlessly transfer patients across multiple entities that may include community care, labs, specialists and hospitals. HTPNs transitional care program is a care coordination model that addresses the need to reduce hospital readmission rates and manage the growing number of chronically ill patients who are beginning to appear on patient panels, particularly those patients diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
An Impact Through Geriatric Care
Bringing quality care to frail and elderly patients is a significant issue too. The Elder HouseCalls program provides primary care to older adults who are homebound and unable to access healthcare through regular office visits with a physician. This multi-disciplinary approach includes staff on many levels to proactively coordinate care for patients in all settings and severity of illness. The program helps elderly patients maintain their quality of life and reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
An Impact Through Preventive Care
HTPN also takes measures to ensure that adult preventive health measures are provided to their patients. Preventing illness and catching chronic disease early can save lives and reduce medical expenses for patients. Therefore, all HTPN primary care physicians are audited every three months for 11 adult preventive measures such as tobacco use, cholesterol, colorectal cancer screenings and breast cancer screenings. Through the electronic health record (EHR), physicians and their office staff are prompted to check for preventive health services at each patient visit. This, in turn, teaches patients health behaviors that will change their risk profile and help them maintain good health. If a patient does have a chronic disease, HTPN has established care standards and protocol measures for diabetes, asthma and heart failure, as well as disease management tool kits that use EHR data and functions to help physicians improve and coordinate the care delivered to chronic disease patients.