NORTHEAST MEDICAL GROUP INC

NORTHEAST MEDICAL GROUP (NEMG) IS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT MULTISPECIALTY MEDICAL FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED IN 2010. NEMG INTEGRATES PHYSICIANS ACROSS YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH SYSTEM AND HELPS PROVIDE MORE COORDINATED, COMPREHENSIVE, SAFE AND HIGH-QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR PATIENTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM PRIMARY, SPECIALTY, INPATIENT, OUTPATIENT, REHABILITATIVE AND PREVENTIVE CARE. NEMG REPRESENTS MORE THAN 150 LOCATIONS AND 1,500 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AFFILIATED WITH BRIDGEPORT, GREENWICH, LAWRENCE + MEMORIAL, WESTERLY AND YALE NEW HAVEN HOSPITALS. THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE (NCQA) AWARDED PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICAL HOME (PCMH) RECERTIFICATION TO 44 NORTHEAST MEDICAL GROUP PRIMARY CARE SITES. A PCMH USES A TEAM-BASED APPROACH TO MEETING PATIENTS' HEALTHCARE NEEDS. LED BY A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, THE TEAM MAY INCLUDE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, ADVANCED PRACTICE REGISTERED NURSES, MEDICAL ASSISTANTS, NURSES AND CARE COORDINATORS. THE MEDICAL HOME MODEL DELIVERS COMPREHENSIVE, PERSONALIZED CARE IN A WAY THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PATIENT. TO IMPROVE PATIENT ACCESS TO AMBULATORY SERVICES, INCLUDING PRIMARY CARE, WALK-IN CARE AND URGENT CARE, NEMG INCREASED STAFFING AND HOURS AT THE NEW HAVEN AND BRIDGEPORT REGION WALL-IN CENTERS AS WELL AS THE VIDEO CARE ONDEMAND SERVICE.DURING THE YEAR, NEMG FOCUSED ON INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE, AS REPORTED THROUGH PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEYS. ACTIVITIES INCLUDED THE INSTALLATION OF A PATIENT REGISTRATION KIOSK AT A HIGH VOLUME SITE THAT ALLOWED PATIENTS, IF THEY CHOSE, TO CHECK IN QUICKLY AND PAY CO-PAYS. SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT OF PATIENTS USED THE KIOSK SUCCESSFULLY UPON LAUNCH.ALSO, RESPONDING TO PATIENTS' NEED FOR TRAINED MEDICAL INTERPRETERS TO FACILITATE CLEAR, ACCURATE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PATIENT AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, NEMG'S LANGUAGE SERVICES INTRODUCED A SYSTEM OF REMOTE INTERPRETING AS WELL AS OVER-THE-PHONE INTERPRETING SERVICES. THE ADDITION OF QUALIFIED MEDICAL INTERPRETER SERVICES IMPROVED COMMUNICATION AMONG PATIENTS WITH LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, ENHANCED COMPLIANCE WITH THE CARE PLAN, AND REDUCED RISK OF MEDICAL ERROR.AS PART OF YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH SYSTEM, NEMG ADOPTED A NEW SAFETY EVENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR FASTER, MORE ACCURATE REPORTING TO IMPROVE PATIENT SAFETY AND QUALITY OF CARE. THE SYSTEM STREAMLINED INCIDENT REPORTING AND ANALYSIS, PROVIDED REAL-TIME ALERTS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION, AND PROVIDED MORE ROBUST ANALYTICS AND INTUITIVE REPORTING. NEMG TOOK AN ACTIVE PUBLIC SERVICE ROLE IN NATIONAL HEALTHCARE DECISIONS DAY TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVANCED CARE PLANNING AMONG THE PUBLIC AS WELL AS HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS. THE COMMUNITY SERVICE CAMPAIGN INCLUDED LECTURES AND INFORMATION TABLES AT NEMG AMBULATORY SITES AND THE HEALTH SYSTEM HOSPITALS. TO ENSURE THAT PATIENTS HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO ACHIEVE OR MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, NEMG PROVIDERS INCORPORATED SCREENING QUESTIONS WITH INTAKE INFORMATION TO BETTER ASSESS PATIENTS' SOCIAL DRIVERS OF HEALTH THE FACTORS RELATED TO FOOD, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES. PATIENTS WHO SCREENED POSITIVE FOR ANY OF THESE NEEDS WERE MATCHED WITH A COMMUNITY RESOURCE LIST WITH THEIR AFTER-VISIT SUMMARIES AND IN THEIR ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD. THE RESOURCE LIST WAS CUSTOMIZED TO THE PATIENT BASED ON AGE, GENDER, ADDRESS, AND PREFERRED LANGUAGE. NEMG STAFF ALSO COORDINATED A NUMBER OF EVENTS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITIES IN THEIR PRACTICE REGIONS RANGING FROM BOOK DRIVES FOR MIDDLE SCHOOLS, FOOD DRIVES FOR COMMUNITY KITCHENS, AND PERSONAL SUPPLIES FOR HOMELESS SHELTERS.