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). VHAN Member Murfreesboro Medical Clinic 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 patients.

Patients who monitor their blood pressure at home typically take a more active role in managing their hypertension and improving their cardiovascular health. But what about patients who need help with the practical details around self-monitoring? Providers can help patients manage their hypertension and obtain appropriate monitoring devices. To help our members and other providers, VHAN has gathered the several strategies and resources to aid in patient education related to hypertension.

The miniVHAN podcast series features speakers discussing behavioral health topics across the lifespan, including depression, anxiety, neurodiversity, trauma and grief. These articles provide more resources for strengthening mental health.

As young people graduate from high school and move into a new phase of early adulthood, it’s a good time to focus on moving these patients to adult care. Read the full article to get details on how VHAN’s Pediatric to Adult Transitions Quick Reference Guide can help your practice in this area.

Studies show that cancer screenings have declined since the pandemic disrupted health care in 2020, and they haven’t yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Unfortunately, this will cause fewer cases of cancer and other serious illnesses to be caught early, likely creating sicker patients in the long run. VHAN has tools and resources available to help members increase cancer screening rates and educate patients about their importance.

In 2023, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing received a $3 million Health Resources and Services Administration grant to create a certification and training program for CHWs in Tennessee. The initiative, formed in partnership with the Tennessee Community Health Worker Association and Rural Health Association of Tennessee, is called the Community Health Worker Training Program of Tennessee (CHWTPT). Read the full article to learn more about how you can participate.

To improve Erlanger Health System’s (EHS) AWV completion rate and deliver vital preventive care, the Erlanger Medical Group (EMG) quality team implemented an Annual Wellness Visit template and clinical education program in 2018. Since implementing the new process, Erlanger has experienced a year-over-year increase in total Medicare AWVs. Read the article to leverage best practices from the EMG quality team.

One in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. That’s a sobering statistic, and it’s one that compels members of Vanderbilt Population Health’s Quality Impact Specialists (QIS) Team to motivate patients to get their annual breast cancer screenings. By pairing new technology strategies with more efficient communications, last year the team achieved dramatic results in the number of patients scheduled for these screenings. Read the full article to find best practices your staff can use to increase screening appointments and meet this important quality benchmark.

This flu season has been one of the worst in recent years, with approximately 8.7 million flu illnesses, 78,000 hospitalizations, and 4,500 flu-related deaths reported across the United States. Flu vaccines remain the best defense against this year’s flu, along antiviral medications like Tamiflu, handwashing and plenty of rest. Your patients likely have plenty of questions about treating flu symptoms or avoiding flu altogether. In this article, we address some commonly asked questions with input from clinical experts.