Over the past year, the BHCG has utilized two grants received from Novo Nordisk to continue our efforts to increase the number of physicians recognized in diabetic care and management by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This important work was initiated years earlier by Medical Associates Health Centers, a group of multi-specialty clinics located throughout southeastern Wisconsin. Statewide, many of the physicians who have qualified to date for DPRP recognition are from Medical Associates, who led the way in obtaining NCQA certification for physicians.

Bud Chumbley

The Diabetes Physician Recognition Program (DPRP) of NCQA, a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to health care quality, provides a means by which diabetic patients can find local physicians who have demonstrated a high level of quality in the care and treatment of diabetes, without the burden of interpreting what can be highly complicated data. Managing diabetes as a chronic disease can reduce overall health care costs in the region, while at the same time increasing quality of life for diabetes patients.

Since the initial grant secured in 2006 from Novo, a worldwide leader in diabetes care, BHCG has helped over 100 physicians gain recognition – far exceeding the organization’s goals. Our administrative partner, Humana, displays the NCQA seal behind a physician’s name in their physician finder which makes it easy for consumers to find those physicians who have achieved certification.

“Medical Associates created a strong and successful model for qualifying physicians for recognition in diabetic care and management. They committed to achieving the highest level of diabetic management years before anyone else,” said Dianne Kiehl, Executive Director, Business Health Care Group. “Our organization is proud to be following in their footsteps.”

In our efforts to improve diabetes care, we’re focusing on physicians in Humana Preferred (BHCG), the high-performance network developed in conjunction with Humana, our administrative partner. The organizations participating in the quality review process thus far have spoken about several positive effects of the program, including:
 

• Increasing awareness of evidenced-based guidelines for providers and patients.
• Creating a positive exchange of performance data.
• Providing an incentive for other physicians to attain this level of quality.
• Helping organizations understand their data with greater clarity.
• Identifying organizational deficient areas in need of quality improvement.
• Being recognized by consumers as an award for excellence in quality care.

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