Internal Medicine involves both PREVENTING disease and TREATING acute medical illness.
As Internists, we are responsible, along with you, the patient, to make sure that you get the care that will keep you healthy and active from year to year. There are guidelines from your insurance plans and from the federal government, also from the American Boards of Internal Medicine and Cardiology that are implemeted throughout EMR (Electronic Medical Records) that are intended to help keep you healthy.
There are specific items that are essential in your medical record and the changes in this information must be provided by you to our office.
At your visits you will be gently reminded to keep your healthcare up-to-date, your weight under control, and your immunizations up-to-date.
There is also an emphasis from the federal government, that eventually will be linked to physician re-imbursement, that all patients submit a living will or medical power of attorney to their healthcare provider, to be filed and easily assessible in the chart. This information is included in the website section Advanced Directives for your review. Please download these forms and either drop them off to our office or bring them with you on your next visit and they will be included in your medical record.
Items that require tracking from the various insurance companies include some of the following items.
- Blood pressure checks
- Fasting lipid profile
- Diabetes screen
- Cervical Cancer Screen
- Mammogram screen
- Prostate Cancer Screen
- Fecal/occult blood screen
- Pneumonia and Influenza vaccine status
- Yearly EKG
- Information about smoking and drug use by the patient
They also require that follow-up appointments are scheduled at the time of departure from the office, to ensure continuity of medical care for all of their medical participants.
All insurance and federally funded plans are interested in partnering with your provider and you, the patient, and helping each and every patient reduce the risks of significant disease, managing those that already exist, and preventing future medical problems. Many of the plans offer a healthcare "case manager" in more challenging cases.