Primary Care Study Proves That MDVIP Delivers Better Preventive Care Services & Patient Results When Compared to National Health Plans

BOCA RATON, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new study published in the December issue of the International Journal of Person Centered Medicine shows that the MDVIP personalized primary care model not only delivers better clinical outcomes, particularly for patients with diabetes or cardiovascular disease, but also more of the recommended preventive healthcare services such as mammograms and colonoscopies when compared to national health plans. With a smaller practice (no more than 600 patients), physicians can focus on prevention and wellness including acute concerns, chronic condition management and preventive screening. The study was based on a chart review of 15 MDVIP-affiliated physicians in Arizona and showed results that beat HEDIS* measures and the top 10% of national HMO and PPO benchmarks for clinical outcomes and preventive screenings. Serious diseases epidemic in this country were selected for the review, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as important preventive tests. Among the findings were:

“A Personalized Preventive Care Model versus a Traditional Practice: Comparison of HEDIS Measures”

Cardiovascular Health—LDL Cholesterol:

• 96% of MDVIP members with cardiovascular conditions had LDL-C screenings performed compared with national health plan benchmarks at 84%-89%.

Diabetes Care & Management:

• Blood Pressure — 83% of MDVIP diabetic patients had good blood pressure control (less than 140/90) versus the national benchmark which is 50%-65%.
• Blood sugar control — The average HbA1c for MDVIP patients was under 8% (“good” control) for 100% of MDVIP Medicare patients and 93% of commercially insured patients. National health plan averages are 50%-65% of patients achieving good control.
• Cholesterol — 69% of MDVIP patients were at goal with an LDL under 100, while national health plan benchmarks are 37%-52%.

Preventive Screenings:

• Mammograms — 93% of MDVIP patients with Medicare and 79% of MDVIP patients with commercial insurance received mammograms. The health plan benchmark is 65%-70%.
• Bone Density Scans for Osteoporosis — Per preventive screening guidelines, 90% of MDVIP Medicare patients received DXA scans as compared to national benchmarks of 68%-73%.
• Colonoscopies — 82% of MDVIP Medicare patients and 76% of MDVIP commercial insurance patients, per preventive screening guidelines, received colonoscopies as compared to the benchmark of 41%-62%.

“The MDVIP model takes the impersonalization out of medicine and allows for the doctor-patient relationship to flourish and drive these results. This is the kind of care that doctors want to deliver and patients want to receive, and as demand increases and healthcare expenses continue to rise and consume 18% of GDP, MDVIP is part of the solution,” said Dr. Andrea Klemes, Medical Director, MDVIP.

Dr. Lawrence Gassner, an MDVIP-affiliated physician in Phoenix, AZ, who participated in the study, commented, “The data in this study is compelling because it shows that the MDVIP model is doing a better job of addressing diseases that are leading causes of death in our country. We do that by identifying patients’ risks earlier and customizing a plan of care to helping them enjoy longer, healthier lives.”

Although the recent trend in U.S. healthcare is to focus on wellness and disease prevention, many Americans are still not receiving recommended preventive and routine healthcare services. Insufficient time with patients has been cited by primary care physicians as the reason for not performing services and acute care problems that require immediate attention customarily take precedence over both prevention and chronic disease management.

All primary care physicians (PCPs) are charged with the task of screening patients for a variety of diseases and are expected to deliver high-quality care and lower costs at the same time. In a traditional practice, where most PCPs are seeing 2,500+ patients, it is virtually impossible to be focused on proactive preventive care. The MDVIP model affords greater consumer empowerment, greater focus on preventive services, increased physician availability, and coordination of care with specialists and other healthcare resources. The MDVIP smaller practice size enables the MDVIP-affiliated physician to provide the level of care that is necessary for each patient and to offer the convenience of same-day appointments, no waiting and the ability to reach the doctor 24/7.

“When primary care physicians have sufficient time to use the tools available in medicine today to assess patients’ risk for disease, they have a significantly better chance to intervene early and formulate a proactive treatment plan to extend and save lives. Our doctors also manage chronic conditions with the same mindset — to prevent the complications and long-term adverse events. We view these results as an opportunity to educate both patients and healthcare professionals alike about how to achieve better health outcomes and prevent disease,” said Dr. Klemes.

*HEDIS is used by more than 90% of American’s health plans to measure performance on important dimensions of care and service.

More Information

The International Journal of Person Centered Medicine was launched with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva in May 2010 at the 3rd Geneva Conference on Person Centered Medicine. The Journal aims to assist the WHO policy guidance on patient-centered care by advancing the debate and development of appropriate methods which will equip physicians with the tools they need for this purpose. For more information on the World Health Organization please go to:

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/meetings/2010/geneva_conference_20100503/en/index.html

• MDVIP-affiliated physicians who participated in the study include: David L. Elliott, MD.; Gary A. Erbstoesser, DO; Michael J. Finkelstein, MD; Lawrence P. Gassner, MD; Thomas F. Griffin, Jr., MD; Brian K. Jorgensen, MD; Stephen K. Liao, MD; Dana M. Paull, MD; Stephen R. Ritchie, MD (deceased); Nisal K. Samarasekera, MD; Ralph E. Seligmann, MD; Ned D. Stolzberg, MD; Merle C. Turner, MD; Gordon J. Young, MD.
• The article, “A Personalized Preventive Care Model versus a Traditional Practice: Comparison of HEDIS Measures” appears in the December 2012 issue of International Journal of Person Centered Medicine. http://www.ijpcm.org/index.php/IJPCM/article/view/305

About Dr. Andrea Klemes

Dr. Andrea Klemes is the Medical Director of MDVIP. She also serves as the executive and organizational leader of MDVIP’s Medical Advisory Board that supports quality and innovation in the delivery of the healthcare model drawing expertise from the affiliated physicians. Dr. Klemes is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology and received her medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed an internal medicine residency at Cabrini Medical Center in Manhattan, New York, and an endocrine and metabolism fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Prior to joining MDVIP, Dr. Klemes worked at Procter & Gamble in the areas of personal healthcare, women’s health and digestive wellness and served as North American Medical Director for bone health. She spent 10 years in private practice specializing in endocrinology and metabolism in Tallahassee, Florida.

About Dr. Lawrence Gassner

Dr. Lawrence Gassner is board certified in internal medicine and is an MDVIP-affiliated physician in Phoenix, AZ. He received his undergraduate degree from Duke University, Durham, N.C. and his medical degree from Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Dr. Gassner completed his internship and residency at Maricopa Medical Center, Phoenix. He is affiliated with John C. Lincoln Hospital North Mountain where he has held prominent positions including Chief of Staff and is the Chairman of Bylaws for the hospital. He is also on staff with Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson Peak hospital. He has held a seat on the Executive Board of Directors for John C. Lincoln Health Network since 2006. He has been named Top Doctor by Castle Connolly, Phoenix Magazine, Scottsdale 101 Magazine and U.S. News & World Report.

About MDVIP, Inc.

MDVIP, Inc. is the national leader in affordable personalized healthcare. With prevention at the center of its program, MDVIP has proven that its carefully chosen affiliated physicians provide exceptional care and achieve exceptional outcomes. These results include lower hospitalization rates which yield significant cost savings to patients, employers and the healthcare system. MDVIP-affiliated physicians limit their practices to no more than 600 patients in order to provide a customized wellness and preventive care program. There are currently over 580 MDVIP-affiliated physicians serving over 200,000 patients throughout the country. MDVIP, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. For more information, visit www.MDVIP.com, www.facebook.com/MDVIP or http://www.mdvip.com/press.

MDVIP Medical Director Dr, Andrea Klemes and Arizona MDVIP-affiliated physician Dr. Lawrence Gassner are available for interviews.