Contact:Sharon GraceVice President of Public RelationsAMGA 703.838.0033 ext. 393[email protected]
June 1, 2016
AMGA Foundation Releases Compendium of Best Practices in Managing Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
ALEXANDRIA, VA— AMGA Foundation today announced the release of the Best Practices in Managing Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Compendium. The compendium includes case studies from medical groups, independent practice associations, academic practices, and integrated delivery systems that have incorporated the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) into their chronic care models. The case studies outline the particular interventions and how they worked to make progress towards the following common goals:
• Diagnose RA early• Standardize the process for capturing the functional and disease assessments• Properly prescribe and manage the use of Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)• Implement a method to evaluate and trend the effects of treatment efforts• Reduce the number of incorrect RA diagnoses within the health system• Standardize the referral process from primary care to specialist
The case studies are available for download here.
“The commitment of these organizations and the outcomes they have been able to achieve for patients with RA through this collaborative will be a model for other organizations that are trying to improve the health of people with chronic conditions,” said Jerry Penso, president, AMGA Foundation, and chief medical and quality officer, AMGA. “Along with positive outcomes for patients, the collaborative achieved increased visibility for a serious condition that is not as often highlighted as other chronic conditions.”
The compendium was developed from the 2014-2015 Best Practices in Managing RA Learning Collaborative, conducted through AMGA Foundation, AMGA’s nonprofit arm. The collaborative was an educational service supported by AbbVie. AMGA Foundation retained editorial control over the case studies. Group Practice Forum (GPF) provided support to participating organizations throughout the application and participation process. The following groups submitted case studies for inclusion:
Advocate Medical Group, Arlington Heights, IL Colorado Springs Health Partners, Colorado Springs, CO Cornerstone Health Care, High Point, NC Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA Group Health, Cincinnati, OH DaVita HealthCare Partners Medical Group, Torrance, CA Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Pearland, TX Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA The Polyclinic, Seattle, WA Premier Medical Associates, Monroeville, PA Summit Medical Group, Berkeley Heights, NJ Sutter Medical Group, Novato, CA University of Rochester, Rochester, NY USMD Holdings, Inc., Irving, TX Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA Wilmington Health, Wilmington, NC
Springfield Clinic, Springfield, IL and Watson Clinic, Lakeland, FL also participated in the collaborative.
“This was the first year that Colorado Springs Health Partners participated in an AMGA Foundation Collaborative,” said Betty Sedlor, R.N., clinical outcomes analyst at Colorado Springs Health Partners. “The spirit of teamwork was evident from the first to the last in-person meeting and throughout the year. Everyone participating was truly engaged in the best practices for patient care and delivery, sharing ideas and resources.”
The collaborative groups participated in monthly webinars on relevant topics, attended two in-person meetings, and had timely access to industry experts. The Learning Collaborative commenced in August 2014 and concluded in August 2015.
About AMGA FoundationThe AMGA Foundation is AMGA’s nonprofit arm that enables medical groups and other organized systems of care to consistently improve health and health care. The AMGA Foundation serves as a catalyst, connector and collaborator for translating the evidence of what works best in improving health and health care in everyday practice. www.amga.org/foundation
About AMGAAMGA is a 501(c)(6) trade association representing medical groups, health systems, and other organized systems of care, including some of the nation's largest, most prestigious integrated delivery systems. AMGA is a leading voice in advocating for efficient, team-based, and accountable care. AMGA members encompass all models of organized systems of care in the healthcare industry, including: physician-owned, independent group practices, integrated delivery systems, hospital-affiliated medical groups, independent practice associations (IPAs), academic and faculty practices, accountable care organizations, and high-performing health systems. Approximately 177,000 physicians practice in AMGA member organizations, providing healthcare services for 133 million patients (approximately one in three Americans). Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, AMGA is the strategic partner for these organizations, providing a comprehensive package of benefits, including political advocacy, educational and networking programs, publications, benchmarking data services, and financial and operations assistance. www.amga.org
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