Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Recognized for Improving Care through Comprehensive Preventive and Care Management Strategies

Texas Physician Practice Quality Improvement Award honors physician practices using technology to provide exceptional preventive health care.

Houston (October 3, 2014) – All 16 Kelsey-Seybold Clinic primary care locations were announced as recipients of the Texas Physician Practice Quality Improvement Award in recognition of their innovative and effective use of health information technology to improve patient care and promote reliable preventative health services.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has recently prioritized the use of health information technologies in hospitals and clinics. By using improved technologies and data, caregivers can make more informed decisions that improve the quality of care delivered.

TMF Health Quality Institute, Texas Medical Association and Texas Osteopathic Medical Association first developed the award in 2012 to recognize outstanding physician practices based on four components:

• Top performance on nationally recognized clinical outcome measures
• Regular use of population care management methods (such as patient education, early detection and disease management)
• Participation in data reporting quality initiatives
• Implementation of tools and processes to promote patient engagement and improve the patient's experience

"Kelsey-Seybold Clinic  has been nationally recognized for delivering high quality care at a lower total medical cost – receiving this award is another confirmation that what we do for our patients – and how we manage their care – is working," said Spencer Berthelsen, M.D., chairman of the board and managing director of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. "We are so honored to receive this award, recognizing our commitment to our patients and our profession."

Physician offices and clinics are critical points in the health care system where investments in care quality can have a significant impact on patients. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, for every eight individuals who are hospitalized, 217 go to a doctor's office. As this statistic demonstrates, physician clinics have a more widespread impact on the quality of care delivered to most patients compared to that of larger hospitals.

"TMF is proud to recognize these physician practices for the work they are doing to promote quality health care," said David C. Fleeger, MD and chair of the TMF board of trustees. "Quality improvement is a time-consuming process, especially when it involves adopting new technology, and we thank these physician practices for their commitment to improving care for their patients."

The continued improvement in health care quality relies on the use of health care technologies to reevaluate clinical practices at every turn and a willingness to institute necessary changes that may seem difficult or overly complex. Health information technologies inform physicians of patterns in patient procedures and outcomes they may not have recognized through electronic health records and allow physicians to see feedback on their level of care through transparent reporting systems.

For more information on the Texas Physician Practice Quality Improvement Award and to see a full list of this year's winners, visit http://award.tmf.org.