Ravalli Family Medicine is pleased to introduce a new service to our patients. Chronic care management gives our clients, struggling with chronic conditions, the ability to receive additional help. Patients who qualify for this service are those signed up with Medicare Part B, and who also suffer from two or more chronic conditions expected to last more than twelve months. This service will be of little cost to our patients as Medicare covers the payment for this service. Medicare does require a monthly co-pay, but supplemental insurance may cover either part or all of that cost. Patients who receive chronic care management experience less emergency room visits, fewer hospitalizations and less pharmaceutical complications.
When beginning chronic care management, our patients will schedule a visit with their provider at Ravalli Family Medicine. Each provider will have the patient sign an agreement, stating they would be interested in receiving chronic care management services. Their provider will then discuss the creation and implementation of what is called a care plan. This care plan is personalized to fit each patient’s needs. It will include a patient’s health goals and steps in order to achieve them. Once the personalized care plan has been created, the patient will meet with our chronic care management coordinator monthly in order to assist in reaching each patients goals. Our patients will still continue to have their routine visits with their preferred provider, this service is designed to be additional help to the care each patient already receives from their provider.
The care plan created with a patient’s provider can range from additional help with medication management to assistance in coordinating referrals from the patient’s provider to other specialists. In addition to the creation of a care plan, each patient will have a personalized care team. This team is made up of those who are part of each individual’s health goals. This means that each individual’s care team will be made up of their provider, chronic care manager, and any others ranging from their physical therapist to their pharmacy.
Each patient’s care plan has the ability to be revised if an individual’s health goals have changed. Our patients will work with their provider to make any modifications to their care plan throughout the life of their chronic care management.
Any additional questions regarding our new service can be directed towards any member of our staff at Ravalli Family Medicine. We look forward to providing needed support in managing chronic conditions effectively.
