Clinician Performance Reports Target Specific Practice Patterns

In 2006, Wellmark introduced individual clinician performance reports designed to inform, support, and encourage practice improvements in quality and efficiency. Individual clinicians were given data on their own specific practice patterns around diabetes care delivered during 2005 on four widely accepted clinical standards of care:

• Annual HgA1c testing
• Eye exams
• Lipid profiles
• Microalbumin tests

These reports put a spotlight on specific, industry recognized care measures. For the first time, clinicians have access to data that allows them to track their own practice patterns for Wellmark members. These reports were based on 2006 claims information and included the individual clinician's results, the clinician's clinic practice averages, and Wellmark network averages.

Promising Results
Overall, the performance of the clinicians in the network has improved since the first performance report was delivered. In 2005, 18 percent of members with diabetes seeing a PCP received all four of the recommended evaluations. In 2006 that percentage increased to 23 percent.

This initiative is the first step in a program that will continue to adopt additional measures and performance feedback opportunities.

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