Paving the Way to Total Health: Evaluating Health Disparities Howard Fullman, MD, FACG, FACP, Area Medical Director, West Los Angeles Manuel Myers, MD, Physician in Charge, Inglewood Medical Offices George Halverson: Key Note Presentation National Diversity Conference 2006 Challenged Kaiser Permanente to evaluate and focus on decreasing health disparities in our member populations Sources: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Steven Reinberg “Poorer Black Women Going Without Pap Smears, Health Day. December 27,2005 2 Institute of Medicine Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Healthcare • Racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than Caucasians, even when insurance status, income, age and severity of conditions are comparable • The report’s first recommendation is to increase awareness among the public, health care providers, insurance companies and policy makers • It also recommended the standardized collection of data on health care access and utilization by patients’ race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and where possible, primary language Source: Institute Of Medicine. 2002. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care 3 Institute of Medicine: Summary of Findings • Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare exist and because they are associated with worse outcomes in many cases (increased prevalence and severity) are unacceptable • Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare occur in the context of broader historic and contemporary social and economic inequality • Many sources- including health systems, healthcare providers, patients, and utilization managers- may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. • Bias, stereotyping, prejudice, and clinical uncertainty on the part of healthcare providers may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare • A small number of studies suggest that racial and ethnic minority patients are more likely than white patients to refuse treatment. Source: Institute Of Medicine. 2002. Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care 4 Southern California Kaiser Permanente Systems • Southern California Permanente Medical Group Cultural Responsive Care • Southern California Diversity Advisory Council • West Los Angeles (WLA) Center of Excellence for Culturally Competent Care 5 Good Systems in Place • Exceptional quality due to developed systems across all races • Proactive in prevention and quality • Data Decision Support • Health Connect and POINT • Current systems need to be tested in a area with a diverse population Inglewood Medical Offices designated to test our current systems and assess health disparities in WLA Service Area 6 How Diverse Are We? Kaiser Permanente Membership compared to America Kaiser Permanente Membership United States Population 33% 43% 57% 67% M inority 7 White M inority Sources: Adult Membership, based on 2004 survey and 2005 Current Population Survey White How Diverse are the Inglewood Medical Offices? Inglewood MOB Membership 1.7% 1.1% 4.9% Caucasian Latino African American Asian/Pacific Islander Other 41.2% 51.0% 95.1% Minority 4.9% Caucasian 8 Inglewood Demonstration Project Charge and Assumptions • Assess the extent of racial and ethnic differences in the Inglewood Medical Offices that are not otherwise attributable to known factors such as access to care; • Evaluate potential sources of racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare, including the role of bias, discrimination, and stereotyping at the individual (provider and patient), institutional, and health system levels • Promote culturally competent care, especially to those patient groups at highest risk within particular conditions • Provide recommendations regarding interventions to eliminate healthcare disparities found at the Inglewood Medical Offices 9 Background • Inglewood’s Culturally Responsive Care Demonstration Project committee was created in late 2006 • To narrow the scope of their work, the group elected to target African Americans and Hispanics with diabetes 10 Inglewood Medical Offices Department and Services Primary Care Clinician Mix • Allergy Family Medicine • Family Medicine and • 10 physicians and 3 Registered Nurse Practitioners Internal Medicine • Diagnostic Imaging Internal Medicine • Laboratory • 8 Physicians • Pediatrics/Teenage Medicine • Pharmacy • Physical Therapy • Psychiatry 11 Study Objectives To assess diabetic patients’ needs regarding their health care, specifically as it relates to diabetes management. To gather feedback from diabetic patients regarding their care experience, for example, how they currently access care, what barriers they experience in doing this, and how KP can improve care delivery. To explore whether the needs of diabetic patients vary by ethnic group or socio-economic status; if they do, determine what these differences are and how KP can address them. To obtain feedback from physicians and staff regarding barriers that prevent the delivery of culturally competent care to diabetic patients and their recommendations for overcoming these. 12 Phases of Inglewood Demonstration Project • Phase 1 • Development of plan and stakeholder endorsement • Phase 2 • Collection processes to identify patient race • Phase 3 • Evaluation of baseline data, and identification of any Health Disparities by population/condition • Phase 4 • Focus groups and strategy development/selection • Phase 5 • Strategy deployment and monitoring • Phase 6 • Evaluation and report out 13 Baseline Data • Limited access to racial data in HealthConnectTM • Physician self identified patient race from their panels • POINT developed a sub-database for Inglewood patients by race to evaluate clinical outcomes 14 Ethnicity Reported by Physicians Inglewood Diabetes 2,992 African American 2,014 15 Hispanic 453 White / Asian / Other 102 Unknown 423 Baseline Data: Retrospective Findings • Diabetic Patients • Hemoglobin A1c • LDL • Blood pressure 16 Percent of Cohort Patients with Hemoglobin A1c Measurement and Result in Past 12 Months AA HISP 100 90 80 Percentage 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 A1C A1C <= 7 A1C > 9 Although Hemoglobin A1c monitoring is similar, Hispanic members are more likely to have elevated Hemoglobin A1c > 9 than African American members 17 Percent of Cohort Patients with LDL Measurement and Result in Past 12 Months AA HISP 100 90 80 70 Percent 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 LDL LDL <= 100 LDL > 100 Again, although LDL monitoring is similar, Hispanic members are more likely to have elevated LDL > 100 than African American members 18 Percent of Cohort Patients with BP Measurement and Result in 12 Months Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.34 P = 0.06 AA HISP 100 90 80 70 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.64 P < 0.01 Percent 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 BP BP < 130/80 BP >= 130/80 More African American members tend to have their blood pressure monitored. Significantly less African American members have blood pressures < 130 / 80 than Hispanic members. 19 Percent of Patients by Geography with Hemoglobin A1c Measurement and Result in Past 12 Months 100 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.64 P <0.01 WLA Inglew ood SCAL 90 80 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.91 P < 0.04 Percentage 70 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.87 P < 0.01 60 50 40 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.12 P = 0.07 30 20 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.33 P < 0.01 10 0 A1C A1C <= 7 A1C > 9 Inglewood patients are significantly less likely to have Hemoglobin A1c < 7 and more likely to have Hemoglobin A1c > 9 compared to WLA and SCAL. 20 Percent of Patients by Geography with LDL Measurement and Result in Past 12 Months 100 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.61 P < 0.01 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.89 P = 0.05 WLA Inglew ood SCAL 90 80 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.15 P < 0.01 70 Percent 60 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.16 P < 0.01 50 40 30 20 10 0 LDL LDL <= 100 LDL > 100 Inglewood patients are significantly less likely to have LDL measurements and more likely to have LDL > 100 compared to WLA and SCAL 21 Percent of Patients by Geography with BP Measurement and Result in Past 12 Months WLA 100 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.82 P < 0.01 Inglew ood SCAL Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.77 P < 0.01 90 80 70 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.88 P < 0.01 Percent 60 50 Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.78 P < 0.01 40 30 20 10 0 BP BP < 130/80 BP >= 130/80 Inglewood patients are significantly less likely to have blood pressure measurements and less likely to have BP < 130/80 compared to WLA and SCAL. 22 Baseline Data Part 1: Retrospective Conclusions • Diabetic Patients • Hemoglobin A1c • Both African American and Hispanic patients have high annual Hemoglobin A1c measurement rates (> 88%). • Hispanic patients are more likely to have elevated Hemoglobin A1c > 9. • Inglewood patients were significantly less likely to have Hemoglobin A1c <= 7 and were significantly more likely to have Hemoglobin A1c >= 9 compared to WLA and SCAL. • LDL • Both African American and Hispanic patients also have high annual LDL measurement rates (> 88%). • Hispanic patients are more likely to have an elevated LDL > 100. • Inglewood patients were significantly less likely to have LDL measurements and significantly more likely to have LDL > 100 compared to WLA and SCAL. • Blood pressure • Hispanic patients were less likely to have blood pressure measurements. • African American patients were significantly more likely to have elevated blood pressure >= 130 / 80. • Inglewood patients were significantly less likely to have a blood pressure measurement and significantly more likely to have a blood pressure >= 130 / 80. 23 Baseline Data • Finding: Health disparities based on race appear to be minimal at Inglewood Medical Offices • Hypothesis 1: Results are consistent due to good systems across all groups • Hypothesis 2: Performance in quality metrics are lower in Inglewood due to socio-economics factors • Developed Focus Groups to investigate further 24 Focus Groups Methodology To fully explore each of the study objectives, a series of focus groups were conducted at the Inglewood MOB with the following groups: Inglewood physicians Inglewood staff Higher income diabetic patients Lower income diabetic patients High and Low Income groups were defined using criteria from the Los Angeles County section of the California Uniform Act Income Limits African American diabetic patients Monolingual Spanish diabetic patients Organizational Research scheduled and recruited participants for all groups All groups were facilitated by Organizational Research with the exception of the monolingual Spanish group The average length of groups ranged from approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours 25 Physicians and Staff Focus Group Findings: Typical Care and Services to Diabetic Patients Education (verbal and written) about diabetes and medications Coordination for monthly blood tests Foot exams Referrals to Ophthalmology for retinal screens Referrals to Health Education for classes Vibration sensory tests for neuropathy Follow-up phone calls with patients Assistance with Accu-Check machines 26 Physicians and Staff Focus Group Findings: Perception of Members’ Barriers to Care and Managing their Diabetes Access to appointments due to conflicts with work schedules Follow up by care managers impeded due to unreliable or incorrect phone numbers Income related issues such as inability to afford co-pays and prescriptions Wait times for lab appointments Lack of education related to diabetes at Inglewood facility Lack of nutrition education related to managing their diabetes 27 Member Focus Group Findings: Barriers to Receiving Care / Managing Diabetes • Access to providers, laboratory, and after hours care • Lack of services for diabetic patients at Inglewood (dietician, healthy eating programs, mental health service, etc.) • High costs • Lack of support and education on nutrition and secondary effects of diabetes • Lack of support from family members in managing diabetes 28 Member Focus Group Findings: Suggestions for Improvements • Group visits • After hours visits • Regular follow up • Diabetic support groups • Promote education (diet, newsletters, classes, kp.org) • Diabetes “hotline” or point person for diabetes at Inglewood 29 Recommendations from Focus Groups • Increased follow-up and support for patients with diabetes including targeted education about diabetes, information about medications, nutrition education, exercise programs, etc. • Support groups for patients with diabetes • Improved access to providers through group appointments, easier phone access, expanded hours, etc. • Improved access in the lab for blood tests by streamlining this process for diabetic patients • Continued emphasis on the importance of culturally competent care and the impact this has on the patientprovider relationship and patient perceptions of care 30 Strategies Developed Based on Focus Groups to Improve Performance • Proactive Encounter • Population Care Panel Management Support • Registered Nurse Practitioner support to Primary Care Physicians • Group Appointments • Expanded hours of operation • Targeted outreach 31 Proactive Encounter A medical office support system for office encounters that includes MAs, LVNs and RNs in • Identifying interventions required by patients in support of clinical goals (gaps) beyond those for which the encounter was intended • Providing that information to physicians for their review and action • Taking action to close the gaps as directed by the physician within their job description or scope of care • Documenting information about the patient (medications history, social history, smoking history, past medical history, chief complaint, etc) to save physician time • Interacting with patients in a helpful, courteous and respectful manner, contributing to an outstanding patient care experience • Assuring patient receipt of the After Visit Summary • Increasing team work and effectiveness 32 Patient List print out with gaps identified 33 Population Care Panel Management Support • Population Management targets members that have not had a clinical encounter for a designated period of time and who have gaps in care for targeted clinical conditions (such as diabetes) and gaps in preventive care. • Includes PCM coordinators and Team Pharmacists in identifying the gaps, using various tools such as POINT, providing that information to physicians, and taking action as directed by physicians to close the gaps without the physician having to see the patient in a face to face visit 34 Registered Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Physician Support • 0.5 RNP per 5 Physicians • Patient management by phone using POINT system to optimize medication titration and decrease care gaps • RNP has no schedule • RNP dedicated to supporting chronic care for select physician panels • RNP monitors lab results and titrates medications to get patient to control more quickly working in partnership with clinician 35 Group Appointments Process • Patient list is generated for target patients (Hemoglobin A1c >8 using POINT) and given to the nurse/back office staff (BOS) working with the PCP • Nurse/BOS books patients for their appointment with their physician • Patients are told that their co-payment for an office visit applies (Co-payment is 50% of regular fee) Half Day session • Part 1: Patient attends health education session on diabetes • Part 2: Physician adjusts medications individually with patients at the end of session • Part 3: PCM follows up with patients that have completed part 1 and part 2. Patients are requested to go to the lab after 5 weeks to complete lab work to determine their current Hemoglobin A1c status • Part 4: Patients are then booked by PCM 6 weeks post initial visit to meet with their PCP and have their medications readjusted to Treat To Target. Group Appointment format utilized Goals • 36 Treat to Target Diabetic Patients. First priority get patients that have Hemoglobin A1c>8 to target of Hemoglobin A1c<7 Group Appointments • Patient Desired • Focus group findings indicate members’ want physician led groups • Opportunity to also build Support Groups • Efficient Utilization • One physician for 20-30 patients • Improved Physician satisfaction • Advance Practitioner does follow-up and assist with organizing sessions and charting in HealthConnectTM • Extension of Group Appointments to four more physicians 37 Group Appointment Results July 2007 to November 2007 Initial Group Hemoglobin A1c Percent Change N=28 50.0% 45.0% 40.0% 39.00% 39.00% Improved Values No Lab Following Initial Encounter 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 18.00% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 4.0% 0.0% Neutral Values 38 Poorer Values Expanded Hours of Operation • Departments of Laboratory and Radiology now open Saturdays from 7am – 11:30 am • Access is expanded to accommodate lab testing for diabetes and mammography • Evaluating opportunity to open both departments earlier on weekdays 39 Targeted Outreach • Exploring possibility to use a computerized phone call (outreach) to members with KP developed scripts • Scripts have specific paths that give tips on how to manage disease and collect information about patient adherence to regimens prescribed 40 Performance Part 1: All Diabetic Members at Inglewood MOB (Screening Rates) A1C Screening Rates for Inglew ood Medical Offices All Members w ith Diabetes 94.0% 92.9% 92.0% 90.6% 90.0% 88.0% 86.8% 86.1% 87.7% 87.3% Percent 86.0% 90.4% 89.0% 90.1% 88.2% 88.2% 89.4% 89.6% 89.1% 88.7% 89.0% 90.1% 89.4% 88.9% 89.1%88.7% 83.3% 84.5% 84.0% 82.4% 91.8% 91.4% 90.8%91.0% 91.0% 92.2% 92.3% 88.5%88.2% 88.5% 88.2% Launch Sat hours at ING for LAB start 11/1/07 83.0% 82.0% Total Percent Change: Inglew ood Family Med - 7.2% Inglew ood Internal Med - 10.5% 80.0% 78.0% Time 41 Inglewood Fam ily Med Inglewood Internal Med 07 07 6/ 20 20 /2 11 /1 2/ 9/ 11 /2 10 /1 5/ 20 20 00 /2 10 /1 07 07 7 7 00 10 9/ 17 /2 20 07 7 3/ 00 9/ 8/ 20 /2 20 07 7 6/ 8/ 7/ 23 /2 20 9/ 00 07 7 00 7/ 25 6/ 6/ 11 /2 /2 /2 00 00 7 7 7 28 5/ 14 5/ 30 /2 /2 00 00 7 7 00 4/ 4/ 16 /2 20 07 7 2/ 00 4/ 3/ 19 /2 20 07 7 5/ 3/ 19 /2 00 07 20 2/ 5/ 2/ 1/ 22 /2 00 7 76.0% Performance Part 1: All Diabetic Members at Inglewood MOB (Hemoglobin A1c >9) A1C >9 Im provem ent for Inglew ood M edical O ffices All M em bers w ith D iabetes Launch APP program 35.0% 31.9% Pharm to M D ratio is 1:15 APP to M D ratio is 1:9 (0.33 to 3) 32.2% 31.3% 30.8%30.8% 30.0% 29.6% 27.8% 25.0% 27.8% 27.8% 27.6% 26.5% 26.1% 27.9% 27.8% 27.6% 24.3% 24.1% 27.8% 27.5% 28.6% 28.2% 28.4% 28.5% 27.1% 27.4% 26.2% 25.1% 25.1% 23.4% 23.9% 23.3% 23.2% 22.8% 23.8%23.8% 22.8%22.4% 20.0% 21.7% 21.8% 20.9%20.9% 15.0% Total Percent C hange: Inglew ood Fam ily M ed - 5.8% Inglew ood Internal M ed - 6.9% APP - N /A 10.0% 5.0% 42 /3 12 9/ Int/Fam APP /2 20 00 7 07 7 00 /1 11 /5 11 2/ /2 /2 20 00 Inglewood Internal M ed(Pharm 0.5) 10 /8 /2 /2 10 9/ 24 /2 07 7 7 00 7 00 7 10 9/ 27 /2 00 8/ 8/ 13 /2 /2 30 00 7 7 00 7 00 7/ 16 /2 20 Inglewood Fam ily M ed (Pharm 0.5 ) 7/ 2/ 00 07 7 7/ 6/ 18 /2 20 00 07 7 4/ 6/ 5/ 21 /2 20 07 7 7/ 5/ 00 /2 23 4/ 9/ 20 07 7 00 /2 3/ 26 /2 12 3/ 4/ 7 00 7 00 /2 26 2/ 2/ 12 /2 00 7 0.0% Performance Part 2: Prospective Focus on Diabetes • Follow initial diabetes cohort of African Americans and Hispanics over time • Identify trends in improvement • Monitor for successful initiatives at Inglewood Medical Office • Look for differences between cohort and all diabetes patients in Inglewood, WLA and SCAL 43 Part 2: Prospective Findings • Diabetic Patients • Hemoglobin A1c • LDL • Blood pressure 44 Percent of Patients with Hemoglobin A1c Measurement Inglewood WLA SCAL AA Hispanic 25 20 Percent 15 10 5 0 Nov06 Dec06 Jan-07 Feb07 Mar07 Apr-07 May- Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 07 Sep07 Oct-07 Hispanic members and African American members have similar rates of Hemoglobin A1c measurements and follow Inglewood, WLA and SCAL 45 Percent Patients with Hemoglobin A1c Measurement and Hemoglobin A1c <= 7 Inglewood WLA SCAL AA Hispanic Linear (Hispanic) 70 60 50 Percent 40 30 y = -1.6762x + 2197.5 R2 = 0.484 20 10 0 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May-07 Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep-07 Oct-07 Hispanic members are less likely to have a lower Hemoglobin A1c and appear different than African American members, Inglewood, WLA and SCAL 46 Percent Patients with Hemoglobin A1c Measurement and Hemoglobin A1c >= 9 Inglewood WLA SCAL AA Hispanic Linear (Hispanic) 40 35 y = 1.4888x - 1894.6 R2 = 0.3788 30 Percent 25 20 15 10 5 0 Nov06 Dec06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May07 Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep07 Oct-07 Hispanic members are more likely to have elevated Hemoglobin A1c and appear different than African American members, Inglewood, WLA and SCAL 47 Percent Patients with BP Measurement Inglewood WLA SCAL AA Hispanic 50 45 40 35 Percent 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Nov06 Dec06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May07 Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug-07 Sep07 Oct-07 African Americans are more likely to have BP measurements than Hispanics, Inglewood, WLA and SCAL. 48 Percent of Patients with a BP Measurement and BP > 130/80 Inglewood WLA SCAL AA Hispanic Linear (Hispanic) 70 60 Percent 50 40 y = -1.2703x + 1681.6 2 R = 0.5933 30 20 10 0 Nov06 Dec06 Jan07 Feb07 Mar07 Apr07 May07 Jun- Jul-07 Aug07 07 Sep07 Oct07 Hispanic members are less likely to have elevated BP measurements than African American, Inglewood, WLA and SCAL. 49 Percent of Patients with LDL Measurement Inglewood WLA SCAL AA Hispanic 25 20 Percent 15 10 5 0 Nov06 Dec06 Jan07 Feb07 Mar07 Apr07 May07 Jun07 Jul07 Aug07 Sep07 Oct07 African American, Hispanic, Inglewood, WLA and SCAL have similar rates of LDL measurements. 50 Percent of Cohort Patients with a LDL Measurement and LDL > 100 Inglewood WLA SCAL AA Hispanic 70 60 Percent 50 40 30 20 10 0 Nov06 Dec06 Jan-07 Feb07 Mar07 Apr-07 May07 Jun-07 Jul-07 Aug07 Sep07 Oct-07 African American, Hispanic, Inglewood, WLA and SCAL have similar rates of LDL > 100. 51 Part 2: Prospective Conclusions • Diabetic Patients • Hemoglobin A1c • All patients (Inglewood, WLA, SCAL, AA and Hispanic) have similar monthly rates of Hemoglobin A1c measurements. • Hispanic patients have a decreasing trend for Hemoglobin A1c <= 7. • Hispanic patients also have an increasing trend for Hemoglobin A1c >= 9. • LDL • All patients (Inglewood, WLA, SCAL, AA and Hispanic) have similar monthly rates of LDL measurements. • About 40% of all patients have a LDL > 100. • Blood pressure • African Americans patients are more likely to have BP measurements than Hispanics, Inglewood, WLA and SCAL. • African Americans, Hispanics and Inglewood have a recent upward trend for BP measurements. • Hispanic patients are less likely to have a BP > 130 / 80. • All patients (Inglewood, WLA, SCAL, AA and Hispanic) have a downward trend for BP > 130 / 80. 52 Summary • Health disparities based on race are minimal at Inglewood Medical Offices • Performance in quality metrics when compared to SCAL Region are lower in Inglewood due to socio-economics factors • Strategies to improve performance should target patient socio demographic needs 53 Future Work - Next Steps • Continue deployment of targeted key strategies and monitor data in a weekly and monthly basis • Evaluate key strategies based on outcomes and establish continuous performance improvement • Partner with Public Affairs/Sales and Marketing to educate and create awareness to the Inglewood community about their personal health • Identify and partner with community programs in churches, community centers, groups etc. that provide education and resources to maintain good health 54 QUESTIONS?