Choosing Wisely Partners
The partners have achieved reductions through a number of interventions focused on patient education, provider education, electronically integrated clinical decision-making tools and changes to the health system culture.
To reach consumers, project partners have placed posters and patient brochures in all of their primary care and urgent care sites. They also include links to Choosing Wisely materials in the online reminders patients receive before their visits from their patient portal.
Organizations with statewide reach—such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (3.8 million customers) and the North Carolina State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees (more than 685,000 members and dependents)—disseminated information about Choosing Wisely through newsletters, mailings, blog posts and more. Meanwhile, the NCMS disseminated Choosing Wisely messaging to state and regional medical societies and health care organizations.
Hear from NCHQA Chair Don Bradley as he discusses efforts to advance the Choosing Wisely
NCHQA aims to dramatically improve the delivery of health care in North Carolina and the health of all North Carolinians by bringing together the full range of stakeholders in the health care delivery system. NCHQA provides overall coordination for the North Carolina Choosing Wisely effort, while mobilizing its constituent organizations to conduct Choosing Wisely outreach and education.
Duke Medicine is an integrated academic health system located in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. It includes three hospitals, a large faculty practice of 1,800 physicians, a Home Care and Hospice service, as well as an extensive primary care network, with 24 practices in seven counties. In collaboration with the North Carolina Choosing Wisely effort, Duke Medicine aimed to reduce (1) use of antibiotics for viral-based illnesses, (2) unnecessary use of DEXA screening for osteoporosis and (3) avoidable carotid artery stenosis screening.
Cornerstone Health Care is a group of more than 320 physicians and advanced practice providers based in High Point, North Carolina. Cornerstone is a physician-owned and -led multi-disciplinary practice with more than 90 locations in communities throughout central North Carolina. Cornerstone’s Choosing Wisely efforts focused on (1) use of antibiotics for viral-based illnesses (2) unnecessary DEXA screening and (3) avoidable Pap tests.
The North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) is a professional association of approximately 12,000 medical students, residents, practicing and retired physicians and physician assistants. Through its Foundation, the Toward Accountable Care Consortium (TAC), and its specialty society partners, NCMS disseminated Choosing Wisely messaging to state and regional medical societies and health care organizations. In addition, NCMS conducted provider outreach to foster physician leadership, patient/consumer partnership and intrinsic professional motivation around the topic of overuse.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) is the state’s largest health insurer, with more than 3.8 million customers. In collaboration with NCHQA, BCBSNC developed a North Carolina Choosing Wisely communications plan that included outreach activities to educate and engage consumers, physicians, practice administrators, local media, and BCBSNC employees.
The State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees (Plan) provides health care coverage to more than 685,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, current and former lawmakers, state university and community college personnel, and their dependents. The Plan used multi-modal media, such as postcards, brochures and electronic newsletters, to deliver the Choosing Wisely messages to members in all 100 North Carolina counties and beyond.
Join the North Carolina Choosing Wisely campaign today by notifying NCHQA of your interest. Your organization will be added to the statewide partners list, and you will receive relevant articles and new materials as available.