Theme 5. Optimizing use of resources

Presentation Details

• Date: Thursday, October 26, 2017
• Concurrent Session E
• Time: 10:45am-11:30am
• Room:
• Style: Presentation (information provided to audience, with opportunity for audience to ask question)
• Focus: Practical (e.g. Presentation on how to implement programs and/or practices in the team environment)
• Target Audience: Leadership (ED, clinical lead, board chair, board member, etc.), Clinical providers, Administrative staff, Representatives of stakeholder/partner organizations

Learning Objectives

• Learn tips on how to implement group diabetes visits from a FHT that has been doing them for over 5 years.
• Questions addressed include:
  1. Are group visits right for your FHT?
  2. What do patients think of them?
  3. What are the privacy concerns?
  4. How many staff members are needed?
  5. What is the ideal size for a group?
  6. What should the frequency be?
  7. What should you never discuss in a group visit?
  8. What are the billing codes?
  9. Are they financially sustainable?
  10. What is it the data on their effectiveness?

Summary/Abstract In medical literature, group visits have been described as a highly effective method of delivering healthcare to patients, especially those with chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and diabetes. They are a more efficient way for health practitioners to see patients. Patient satisfaction is high for patients in group visits. Participants have the opportunity to learn from each other. Behavioural changes that otherwise might not occur have been observed in group visits. We started group diabetes visits over 5 years ago and they have enabled our practice to provide high quality care to over 225 of our diabetic patients. Measured outcomes have been equal to and better than our one on one visits. In addition, patients have been more satisfied in a group setting. Patients have learned from each other and we have had success stories with smoking cessation, insulin starts and lifestyle modification where the family doctor was not successful, often for many years. Finally, these visits have been revenue neutral to revenue positive when compared to one on one visits (even with the loss of Q040A bonus codes which are only available with individual visits). Presenters

• Anil Maheshwari, MD, Family Physician, Grandview Medical Centre FHT
• Christine Paquin, RN, RN/CDE, Grandview Medical Centre FHT

Authors & Contributors