John
Kokales, MD, is a doctor at Community Medicine,
Inc., a large practice in Pittsburgh. He knows
doctors play a vital role in helping to contain
health care costs. He welcomes Health Plan data
that show how he compares with his peers in using
such resources as inpatient hospital care and
diagnostic tools, and how well he controls costs.
In examining recent statistics, Dr. Kokales found
that some of his patients were using expensive
emergency room services when they didn’t
have to.
“The
disadvantage for people with colds or backaches
is that they sit for three or four hours in the
emergency department. It just delays their care,”
he says. “With Health Plan information,
we can find out why they’re making that
choice, and develop ways to provide better access
to our office.”
When
he needs to refer a patient to a specialist, Dr.
Kokales appreciates the ease of our process for
routine referrals. Instead of following a formal
procedure, his office staff can fax or call the
specialist. “It makes it a lot easier for
both the patient and the physician. There’s
no paperwork and you’re not being barraged
by phone calls,” Dr. Kokales explains. ”It’s
one of the things the Health Plan is way out in
front on.”
There
are many conscientious doctors like Dr. Kokales
in the Health Plan’s network of physicians.
“Everyone in the health care loop is responsible
for protecting limited resources,” observes
Dr. Kokales. Our network hospitals and facilities
collaborate with physicians such as Dr. Kokales,
and with the Health Plan, to make the most of
these resources while providing excellent care.
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