The numbers are staggering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Treating diabetes in Michigan costs more than $8 billion annually, according to the 2010 report \u201cThe Economic Burden of Diabetes,\u201d and affects approximately 93,000 individuals in the state\u2019s underserved southeast region, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Behavior Risk Factor Survey 2008 Age Adjusted Estimates. Most of these patients lack access to a range of resources needed for effective diabetes management, including financial resources, dietary guidance, and public fitness facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a member of the ONC Beacon Community Program<\/a>, the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community (SEMBC) is committed to leveraging innovative health IT solutions to create scalable, sustainable improvements in the quality of patient care. A cornerstone of our program is the Patient Health Navigator initiative, which is designed to improve the continuity, quality, and safety of care for underserved, high-risk patients while reducing associated costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building upon a strong IT infrastructure and tools that include a targeted health information exchange and practice-level clinical decision support tools, the Patient Health Navigator program empowers select patients and their Patient Health Navigators with tools and timely information that help them with their diabetes management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the health IT tools and protocols that are being planned, tested, and implemented in the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how the Patient Health Navigator initiative works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patient Health Navigators provide a range of valuable services that extend beyond lifestyle and medication guidance, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind the scenes, Patient Health Navigators also interact with physician office staff members, providing suggestions on how best to engage patients in their diabetes management and ensuring better coordination among various providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reports from the front lines have been promising. Candace Hall, one of the program\u2019s trained Patient Health Navigators, was recently assigned a patient who had repeatedly refused to follow his doctor\u2019s guidance for several months. As the patient\u2019s condition continued to deteriorate, his physician called on Candace\u2019s support to turn the situation around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBy the time I was brought in, the doctor hadn\u2019t seen the patient in a year,\u201d Candace said. \u201cHe was such a difficult case that his physician said he would be impressed by any progress we could make. I saw that not only as a challenge, but an opportunity to put my training to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After contacting the patient by phone, Candace agreed to meet him at his home. When she arrived, she found the patient nearly immobile\u2014he could only move between his bed and a non-functional electric wheelchair\u2014and discovered that he was refusing to perform even basic self tests, such as measuring his blood sugar. Although the patient was initially resistant, Candace explained the importance of lifestyle changes and pointed out that even small steps could yield major improvements in his condition. After listening to Candace\u2019s advice, the patient agreed to begin doing chair exercises to re-build lost muscle strength and said he would consider doing self-testing in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Candace reported back to the patient\u2019s physician, noting that the patient\u2019s wheelchair was inoperable. She arranged for a new one to be delivered to his home and continued to follow up with him over the course of the next few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a result of Candace\u2019s efforts, the patient\u2019s quality of life has improved significantly. His new wheelchair restored the mobility he had lost for months, allowing him to freely leave his home. He now regularly monitors his blood sugar, decreasing the likelihood of additional health complications or a costly hospitalization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The patient was so impressed with Candace\u2019s attentiveness, patience, and dedication that he contacted the Beacon office and asked to speak to senior leadership. During the call, he praised Candace for providing him with the individual guidance he needed to understand his condition and reduce the severity of his symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe whole experience really proved the value of the Patient Health Navigator Program,\u201d said Candace. \u201cInteracting with these patients one on one and watching their lives improve as a result of your intervention\u2014that\u2019s what makes my work so gratifying.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, 340 patients have been referred to the Patient Health Navigator Program by 42 physician practices. SEMBC will continue to expand and refine the program by reviewing the Patient Health Navigator experience from the patient\u2019s perspective and making continuous improvements. It is also anticipated that there will be a future linkage between the Patient Health Navigators and hospital emergency departments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information, visit the Southeast Michigan Beacon Community at: www.sembc.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n For more information on how health IT<\/a> visit https:\/\/healthit.gov\/\/<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The numbers are staggering. Treating diabetes in Michigan costs more than $8 billion annually, according […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":619,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_selected_menu":"","_show_breadcrumbs":"true","_blog_show_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"archived-category":[677],"featured":[],"topics":[408,439,425,411,440,414],"class_list":["post-2807","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-insights-updates","archived-category-beacon-communities","topics-care-continuum","topics-historical-programs","topics-hit-policy","topics-ltpac","topics-meaningful-use-macra","topics-public-health"],"acf":{"blog_authors":[{"blog_author_profiles":"198488"}],"hp_news_hide":false},"yoast_head":"\nAbout the Patient Navigator Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How Patient Health Navigators Help with Diabetes Management<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Case Study: Candace Hall, Trained Patient Health Navigator<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Referrals to the Patient Health Navigator Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n