| T H I S I S S U E |
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| Did You Know? |
| You
may be more likely to have successful treatments
when you find the right doctor. Studies
suggest when doctors and patients work together
and communicate, patients report significant
effects on health status and satisfaction,
including better physical functioning, lower
pain and shorter hospital stays. |
| Plus,
your doctor can help you decide whether
to make an appointment, go to the emergency
room or find an urgent care facility. They
also can help refer you to specialists or
colleagues as necessary. |
| How
we find our doctors: |
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57% doctor
referrals |
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51% friends
and family |
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35% independent
quality ratings |
| Most Great-West Healthcare members use our online provider search tool to make choosing a doctor simple. |
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| Sources:
The International Society for Quality in
Health Care, “Trial of an intervention
to improve doctor-patient communication
in elective surgery,” May 2004; “Americans
as Health Care Consumers: The Role of Quality
Information,” (see notation above) |
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| The deal on primary care |
If you’re given a sure way
to improve your health, would you take it? How about a way
to lower your medical costs? Choosing a primary care doctor
is fundamental to staying healthy and helping to control your
costs.
Surprisingly, a growing number of Americans look for medical
help randomly, usually when the need is urgent. You can change
that trend, and you should. Here’s why: When you have
a consistent person to turn to, your odds improve for early
diagnosis, appropriate care and a satisfactory outcome. And,
when you’re able to plan your care, your costs may be
lower.
Your primary care doctor takes care of everything from regular
exams and preventive care to management of chronic conditions
such as diabetes and asthma. |
| Source: “Americans as Health
Care Consumers: The Role of Quality Information,” Kaiser
Family Foundation and the Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, Rockville, Md. |
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| Search made simpler |
| Take advantage of the two most valuable
tools designed with you in mind. Great-West Healthcare’s
provider search helps you sort through doctors by location,
gender and specialty, for example. CareCompareSM
helps you evaluate the quality of hospitals and other facilities
based on procedure and diagnosis. |
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| The direct approach |
| Once you’ve found a couple
of potential doctors, call their practices. If you like what
you hear, set an appointment to meet the doctor and find out
how the group functions from the inside. |
| Ask
the office staff |
| 1. |
Is the practice accepting
new patients? |
| 2. |
How long does it usually take
to get a routine appointment? |
| 3. |
Can the office do standard
urine and blood tests? |
| 4. |
Does the group send reminders
about regular exams and preventive care tests? |
| 5. |
What days and times does the
doctor see patients? |
| 6. |
Do they have an after-hours
message center or staff
assistance line? |
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| Ask
the doctor |
| 1. |
Is he or she, or another doctor
in the practice, available for after-hours calls? |
| 2. |
What experience does the doctor
have with chronic conditions like asthma or diabetes? |
| 3. |
If you have special needs,
ask the physician, “Are you comfortable taking
on my care?” |
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Who provides care for patients
in his/her absence? |
| 5. |
Ask him or her to describe
a good doctor-patient relationship – how they answer
a general, open-ended question tells you a bit about
the doctor’s style. |
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| Choosing the one for you |
There is about one doctor for every
395 people in the United States. How do you find the right
one for you?
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Narrow your choices.
Check your plan network lists online, and search based
on location, specialty, board certification and gender.
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Ask friends and family.
Coworkers, your benefits administrator at work –
anyone who’s enjoying a great doctor-patient relationship
is usually willing to pass along a name.
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Consider a general doctor.
A family physician treats children and adults, and an
internist caters to adult health.
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Look into specializations.
Some doctors are board certified in certain disciplines
like dermatology and pediatrics to help with specific
health care needs.
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Location, location, location.
Especially if you have medical needs that require a
doctor’s supervision. Is the office nearby? Near
public transportation? Parking available?
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Remember your comfort zone.
Maybe you feel most at ease in the presence of a male
or female doctor. Don’t be afraid to decide based
on age and gender.
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Consider hospitals, too.
Your potential doctors can admit patients to certain
facilities. Make sure your doctor practices at your
local, in-network preference.
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Get the quality picture.
More than 9 out of 10 Americans think it’s their
right to see doctor performance reviews, 9 of 10 find
it helpful, and now more states require it. Check your
state’s department of health for reports available
to you.
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| Sources: US Census Bureau, “State
Rankings from the Statistical Abstract of the United States,”
Doctors Per 100,000 Population, 2001; America’s Health
Insurance Plans, “2004 National post-election survey
regarding health care issues,” Nov. 3, 2004 |
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Great-West Healthcare refers to products
and services provided by Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance
Company and its subsidiaries Alta Health & Life Insurance
Company and Great-West Healthcare HMO/HCSC companies. It also
refers to New England Life Insurance Company's and Metropolitan
Life Insurance Company's group business currently administered
by Great-West. Great-West Life & Annuity Insurance Company
is not licensed to do business in New York. Products are sold
in New York by its subsidiary First Great-West Life &
Annuity Insurance Company, White Plains, N.Y.
Great-West Healthcare, 8505 E. Orchard Rd., Greenwood Village,
CO 80111 |
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