Aided by its electronic health record system, Kaiser Permanente of Georgia has the highest breast cancer-screening rate for eligible women ages 42 to 69 among the health plans reporting to the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA).
“Early detection of breast cancer can mean the difference between life and death,” said Rob Schreiner, MD, executive medical director of The Southeast Permanente Medical Group. “This ranking means that women in Georgia who trust Kaiser Permanente for their care are more likely to survive breast cancer, and that’s something we are extremely proud of. We are committed to ensuring that our members receive the preventive care services they need, and our technology enables us to reach out to patients and encourage this critical aspect of care.”
The NCQA 2010 Quality Compass report showed that Kaiser Permanente of Georgia screened 90.04 percent of eligible women ages 42 to 69. More than 36,750 patients received the recommended mammograms. The national average is 71.31 percent. Kaiser Permanente of Georgia also led the nation in chlamydia screening for all ages.
Kaiser Permanente’s electronic medical record, Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect, flags the record of any woman who is due for a mammogram. This record is accessible to all Kaiser Permanente physicians and clinical support staff in Georgia. When a member comes in for a visit, every clinical professional from the nurses to the physicians – even those in dermatology, ophthalmology, or any other specialty – can remind the patient that she is due for a mammogram.
Kaiser Permanente continues to proactively reach out to members who miss their mammograms with follow-up letters, reminders and personal phone calls. A study published by Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research in the August 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that a reminder program aimed at screening for breast cancer boosted mammography rates by more than 17 percent.
NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of healthcare organizations and manages the evolution of HEDIS, the performance tool used by more than 90 percent of the nation’s health plans.
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