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Medical providers across Washington and in Spokane have boosted their quality of care by nearly 10 percent in the past five years, a new study based on specific, industry-wide standards showed.
Nearly three-quarters of 16 clinics serving 300,000 Premera Blue Cross insurance members met standards for preventative, acute and chronic care last year, agency officials said last week.
That was up about 8 percent overall since 2002, the first year the insurance company joined with providers to establish treatment outcomes they could measure. In specific areas, such as managing diabetes or increasing well-child checkups, the providers improved by 50 percent or more.
The pool of providers included the Physicians Clinic of Spokane and the Rockwood Clinic.
Results were published in the group’s fifth annual Quality Score Card, which measures how well providers met standards in 11 areas ranging from bronchitis treatment to how long patients waited to be seen.
Standards are based on nationally accepted measures. For example, the study measures how often providers prescribed antibiotics for ear infections, a practice discouraged by national pediatrics organizations.
Organizers use data from insurance claims, drug claims and independent surveys to determine how well providers meet the standards, said Scott Forslund, a spokesman for Premera.
Although individual clinics agreed to participate in the study and publish the results in graph form, they shy away from releasing specific percentages of improvement, Forslund said.
Consumers who want to check the progress of a provider can visit the Web site at www.premera.com/qsc. Click on the “QSC Measures” tab.
Reed-McKay named school nurse administrator of the year
The state School Nurse Organization of Washington has named Spokane’s Kathe Reed-McKay as school nurse administrator of the year.
Reed-McKay, 53, has spent 27 years in school nursing programs, including her current post as coordinator of health services for Spokane Public Schools. In that position, she’s responsible for the health and welfare of 35,000 students and staff.
Nominators who submitted comments supporting Reed-McKay’s selection praised her leadership and communication skills.
Coeur d’Alene Kiwanis provide shingles vaccine
A nearly $2,500 donation from the Coeur d’Alene Kiwanis Club has provided protection against shingles for 13 North Idaho senior citizens.
The money paid for the Panhandle Health District to provide Zostovax, a vaccine that prevents the painful and debilitating disease. Shingles is caused by the varicella virus, which causes chickenpox, usually in children.
Zostovax is an expensive vaccine not covered by Medicare. Clients were chosen to receive the vaccine based on age and income requirements.