tional information, contact Linda Kuhn at (800) 880-1300, ext. 1342, or (512) 370-1342, or
linda.kuhn@texmed.org.
Pediatrician suggests you choose wisely with your patients
Marylou Buyse, MD, pediatrician and chief medical director of Scott & White Memorial Hospital Health Plan, wants Texas physicians to spark discussion with patients by using the Choosing Wisely program (
www.texmed.org/choosing wisely).
“This is particularly exciting to Scott & White,” Dr. Buyse said. “An initiative like Choosing Wisely has been missing for a long time in specialty care.” Choosing Wisely promotes conversa- tions between physicians and patients based on evidence provided by dozens of national specialty societies. (See “Qual- ity in Action,” January 2014 Texas Medi- cine, pages 51–54.) These organizations represent- ing medical specialists were asked to “choose wisely” by identifying tests or procedures commonly used in their field, whose necessity physicians and patients should question and discuss. The re- sulting lists of “Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question” will aid conversations about many frequently or- dered tests or treatments. Dr. Buyse calls the program a “terrific initiative, a really a fresh new view on patient and doctor conversation.” Scott & White Health Plan recognizes
the importance of conversations be- tween patients and physicians. Dr. Buyse explained that when specialty societies signed onto the Choosing Wisely initiative, each one provided a list of recommen- dations that was supported by their evidence.
For more information, scan the QR code to watch “Choosing Wisely: It’s Good Medicine.”
“Physicians should be practic- ing and promoting evidence-based
Hector Garza got an alarming result when he measured his blood sugar. He’s one of the participants in the TMF Foundation’s ¡Adelante! diabetes self-management program.
February 2014 TEXAS MEDICINE 13
medicine,” Dr. Buyse said. “Choosing Wisely gives that to specialty care in a broad way by providing lists,” making it easier for physicians and healthier for patients.
Scott & White Health Plan and Choos-
ing Wisely urge physicians and patients to talk about the recommendations to find what is best for the patient’s care, she says.
“Evidence, patients, and physicians. This triangle is linked in the campaign and is the heart of the campaign,” Dr. Buyse said. Dr. Buyse explained how simplicity
makes Choosing Wisely an attainable goal. Information overload leads to er- rors in health care; the Choosing Wisely lists help physicians manage the infor- mation they share with their patients. She says it takes four times as long with- out the written lists to explain to pa- tients why a particular choice was made. “It is an easy way to coordinate care,”
Dr. Buyse said. “I would advise getting information for patients in the office to remind you. Get information for the con- versation. Both physicians and patients have a stake in care.” Dr. Buyse has promoted the Choosing
Wisely initiative since early 2012. Scott & White Health Plan provides six Choos- ing Wisely lists that patients need most. Their goal is to try to “close the loop” for
primary care by using patient-physician conversations. The ABIM Foundation awarded TMA
and its philanthropic arm, the TMA Foundation, a grant to advance the Choosing Wisely campaign among Texas physicians. Nine Texas county medical societies, six state medical specialty soci- eties, and the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association are participating in the pro- gram with TMA. Support for the grant program comes from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
TMF Foundation tackles diabetes
Teaching high-risk populations how to self-manage their diabetes is the first ef- fort of the new TMF Foundation, created and funded by the TMF Health Quality Institute to carry out charitable activi- ties to improve health. The TMF Health Quality Institute focuses on promoting quality health care through contracts with federal, state, and local govern- ments, and has served as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) quality improvement organization since 1984.
The diabetes program ¡Adelante! is an extension of the Salud Por Vida/
TRACI WHITNEY
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