Annual Wellness Visits Bring Broad Benefits to Murfreesboro Medical Clinic 

It would be difficult to find a preventive measure that brings as many benefits as possible to patients, clinical staff and a practice’s bottom line as a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV). 

Murfreesboro Medical Clinic, a member of the Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network (VHAN), is achieving extraordinary success realizing those benefits. 

The clinic performs AWVs for roughly 82% of eligible Aetna Medicare Advantage patients, exceeding the network average by 26.9%. From medication reviews to mental health checks, these visits are invaluable in supporting seniors and encouraging them to be more involved in their own wellness for a better quality of life. 

More Insights, Greater Rapport 

“You learn more from an AWV than from a typical physical,” said Amy Wolaver, practice administrator at Murfreesboro Medical Clinic. “You get insights on patient needs from a preventive perspective. Without the visit, you may not find that out.” 

“One of the goals is to build an annual health plan for the patient,” said Serena Pigue, Manager, Clinical Quality and Transformation for VHAN. “We see how they are managing Activities of Daily Living and even discuss Advanced Care Planning. It’s very inclusive.”  

AWVs are vital to ensure patients receive all the quality care they deserve, said Elizabeth Birdwell, RN, Clinical Quality & Transformational Advisor for VHAN. “It’s a great opportunity to build rapport with patients and check the boxes of all their needs,” she explained. “AWVs are highly encouraged, and we are amazed by the work Murfreesboro Medical Clinic has done.”  

AWVs also bring significant benefits to the clinic, helping to capture and document key measures required by all Medicare plans, which can maximize reimbursement levels. For example, the clinic’s completion rate of In-Office Assessments (IOAs) for their Aetna Medicare Advantage plan in 2024 was 96%, resulting in roughly $74,000 in reimbursement revenue, which the clinic reinvested to add staff and new technology. 

 Built Into the Routine 

The challenge for many practices is making time for AWVs, which can take 30 minutes or more. Murfreesboro Medical Clinic has been able to efficiently build AWVs into care for all its Medicare patients. It uses VHAN tools such as the OnePoint platform and its easy-to-use dashboard feature to quickly identify patients who are due for a visit.  

“If a Medicare patient is here and hasn’t had an AWV, our providers know to do it that day, not schedule it for later,” Wolaver said. “It’s become part of our normal routine, or “the gold standard.” 

Wolaver said patients appreciate the convenience. “They are grateful they don’t have to make an additional visit,” she explained. 

Physician Champions 

Murfreesboro Medical Clinic providers are also fully on board. “Initially, some thought AWVs would take too much time,” Wolaver said. “But we’ve found that they really don’t. Plus, the benefits for the practice and patients outweigh any extra time they take.” 

The practice has also incorporated AWVs into its provider note forms, so it’s part of their regular responsibilities. As a result, six of the practice’s 25 physicians perform AWVs for more than 90% of their patients, and one, Joseph Scott, MD, achieved 100%.  

“It’s become a friendly competition,” said Wolaver, adding that the practice has established incentives to reward top performers and show appreciation for the extra work involved. 

But even with the benefits to the practice, the focus is always on the patient. “AWVs create better patient care and evidence of that care,” Pigue said. “They are essential to value-based care initiatives.”