Press Releases: Mid-Atlantic States
January 7, 2009
50 Kaiser Permanente Physicians Honored for Excellence of Diabetes Care
Internists, Family Practitioners Recognized by NCQA/ADA Program
Fifty internists and family practitioners from Kaiser Permanente's Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group have been recognized by the Diabetes Physicians Recognition Program for the excellence of care they provide their patients with diabetes. The 50 Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group physicians comprise more than half of all those in the Greater Metropolitan Washington area singled out by the DPRP, which is a joint program of the American Diabetes Association and the National Council for Quality Assurance.
The Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group had more physicians recognized by the DPRP than any other medical group or diabetic center medical staff in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area. Only two physicians in Washington, D.C. received DPRP recognition, both of whom are members of the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group. Of the 38 physicians recognized in Virginia, 30 are with the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group; for Maryland, it was 18 of 54.
The DPRP recognizes physicians who follow recommended guidelines that have been shown by clinical evidence to improve the outcomes of patients with diabetes. Some of the evidence-based measures that contribute to high-quality care include control of blood sugar, high blood pressure, and cholesterol; regular eye examinations; nephropathy assessments; and smoking cessation programs. Adherence to these guidelines has been shown to decrease diabetes complications such as heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney disease, and amputations.
"It can be difficult to convince patients how important it is to control their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugars. Yet, by building compassionate, trusting relationships with their patients, our physicians are quite effective at helping diabetics manage their care." said Bernadette Loftus, MD, The Permanente Medical Group associate executive director for the Mid-Atlantic States.
The DPRP is a voluntary program. Physicians who wish to have their practice methods evaluated submit data abstracted from the files of 25 diabetes patients in their care. The data are reviewed by the NCQA to determine the physician's level of adherence to the guidelines.
Robert Pearl, MD, president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, applauded the DPRP's recognition of these physicians, noting the DPRP's description of those honored as an "elite group that is publicly recognized for its skill in providing the highest level of diabetes care." He added, "The DPRP recognition reflects the power of an integrated approach to medical care with advanced information technology systems and is a tribute to the excellence of the physicians in Kaiser Permanente's Mid-Atlantic States region."
Marilyn Kawamura, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States region, also praised the physicians recognized by the DPRP and pointed to a number of technological innovations that contribute to the quality of care they deliver. "There is no doubt that Kaiser Permanente's secure electronic medical records and advanced online patient-provider communications via e-mail and the Internet plays a key role in helping our physicians and their patients work together to manage diabetes. In the long run, that translates to benefits for all."
Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States region provides and coordinates complete health care services for almost 500,000 members in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. With local headquarters in Rockville, Md., Kaiser Permanente currently has 30 medical office buildings.
Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States region is a total health organization composed of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Mid-Atlantic States, Inc., and the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group, P.C., an independent medical group that features approximately 900 physicians who provide or arrange care for patients throughout the area. Visit kp.org for more information.
