By Elana Gordon
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-985507.mp3
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City is getting a closer look at how well area physician practices are treating ailments ranging from asthma to diabetes. And as KCUR's Elana Gordon reports, the new analysis by a regional health coalition finds that care for several conditions is improving in the region.
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The Kansas City Quality Improvement Consortium, a local nonprofit, has been assessing insurance data to see how patients with diabetes, depression, and other health needs fair at primary care practices in the region.
The coalition is now making available (and easily searchable) the updated findings for specific practices, and how they compare to national averages on certain quality measures.
Cathy Davis is in charge of the initiative: "These scores aren't to be looked at to be punitive or to see whether someone's doing a "good" or "bad" job. It's just a glance at our community."
Davis says whether a patient follows up on a doctor's recommendation could also influence the scores.
But overall, she says the region's primary care practices have experienced significant improvements in patient care.
From 2008 to 2009 - the most recent years that claims data was available - practices had fewer diabetic patients with poorly controlled blood sugar, more female patients getting recommended breast and cervical cancer screenings, and more patients with depression maintaining a recommended medicine regimen.
One area that could be improved, according to Davis? The overuse of x-rays and other imaging tests for lower back pain.
Davis says these physician assessments will be updated regularly and are part of the consortium's larger efforts to improve care in the region.
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