Press Releases: Colorado
May 14, 2012
Kaiser Permanente Colorado Physicians Recognized for Excellence in Diabetes and Heart/Stroke Care
DENVER — More than 150 Kaiser Permanente Colorado physicians have been nationally recognized in two programs honoring physicians for providing exceptional diabetes and heart/stroke care.
A total of 110 Kaiser Permanente Colorado physicians were recognized as part of the National Committee for Quality Assurance Diabetes Recognition Program. According to NCQA, the Diabetes Recognition Program was developed to help clinicians use evidence-based measures and provide excellent care to patients with diabetes. Recognized clinicians are rewarded for taking the steps needed to ensure high-quality care — by identifying patients already getting the care according to the standards and by going the extra mile to identify patients who would benefit from additional interventions. Physicians were evaluated on a voluntary basis according to 10 quality measures. Kaiser Permanente excelled in the following areas:
- Blood sugar control
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol control
- Eye examinations
- Kidney function assessment
In addition, more than 50 Kaiser Permanente Colorado physicians earned top marks from NCQA for providing excellent care to patients suffering from cardiovascular disease or stroke. Physicians receiving the Heart/Stroke recognition excelled in a number of quality measures including:
- Blood pressure control
- Cholesterol control
- Use of aspirin
- Smoking assessment
“These physicians have set the bar in terms of delivering the highest quality care to their patients and are now part of an elite group nationally,” said Michael Chase, MD, associate medical director of Quality for Kaiser Permanente Colorado. “Ultimately, this means our members are less likely to have recurrent heart attacks or suffer complications from diabetes. This is about our patients getting the care they need and deserve.”
Kaiser Permanente consistently ranks among the top health plans in the nation for quality and member satisfaction. According to rankings by NCQA, Kaiser Permanente is the top-ranked health plan in Colorado and No. 6 in the nation.
In addition, “NCQA’s Health Insurance Plan Rankings 2011-2012“ list Kaiser Permanente Colorado as the No. 3 Medicare plan in U.S. This is the third year in a row Kaiser Permanente has been among the top three Medicare Plans in the nation.
Kaiser Permanente Colorado has also been recognized by NCQA as a Patient Centered Medical Home. Nearly 300 primary care physicians and 16 medical offices earned the top-level recognition, making Kaiser Permanente Colorado one of the largest medical providers in the nation to receive the designation.
About National Committee for Quality Assurance
National Committee for Quality Assurance is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care.
About Kaiser Permanente Colorado
Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state’s largest non-profit health plan, proudly working to improve the lives and health of Colorado residents for more than 40 years. Kaiser Permanente Colorado provides comprehensive health care services to more than 535,000 members through 24 medical offices and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The health plan was named “Highest in Member Satisfaction” among Commercial Health Plans by J.D. Power and Associates for the fourth straight year. Kaiser Permanente was also recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as the top-ranked private health plan in Colorado, No. 6 in the nation and one of the top 3 Medicare plans in the U.S. for the third year in a row. In 2011, Kaiser Permanente proudly directed more than $90 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/newscenter or follow us on twitter @kpcolorado or facebook.com/kpcolorado.