Equipping members to make informed health decisions
(Grand Rapids, Mich. - June 1, 2011)
When facing health care decisions, patients benefit from knowing all of their treatment options. That’s why Priority Health has added transparent, easy-to-understand information to its website, priorityhealth.com, about more than a dozen surgeries that have regional variations in their frequency.
“Surgery zones” lead to variations in treatment
Researchers at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice have demonstrated that treatments for many conditions vary from one region of the country to another. In many cases, patients may be more likely to have surgery just because they live in an area within Michigan where surgical treatments are more prevalent. That’s why it is important for patients to become knowledgeable and not allow their ZIP codes to increase their likelihood of surgery.
“Patients who are fully informed and fully understand their options tend to choose different, more conservative treatments than their doctors recommend,” says John Fox M.D., associate vice president of Medical Affairs. “Our focus is trying to make sure our members have access to the information they need to make the decision that is right for them.”
To assist its members in getting the best health results by becoming fully informed about their treatment options, Priority Health has added Smart Health Facts to priorityhealth.com about common surgical treatments. They succinctly describe various surgeries, their risks and treatment alternatives that may help members avoid the inconvenience, risk and expense of surgery. Smart Health topics include:
- Back surgery
- C-section
- Colonoscopy
- Ear tube surgery
- Gallbladder surgery
- Hip replacement
- Hysterectomy
- Knee arthroscopy
- Knee replacement
- Shoulder replacement
- Tonsillectomy
- Upper GI endoscopy (EGD)
- Weight-loss surgery (bariatric)
In addition, for Priority Health members only, the Smart Health facts link to expert, in-depth information from WebMD® as well as the Priority Health online surgery decision-support tool that’s helped thousands of Priority Health members explore their treatment options and find tips for preparing for, and recovering from, necessary surgery.
About Priority Health:
Priority Health is an award-winning health plan nationally recognized for creating innovative solutions that impact health care costs while maximizing customer experience. It offers a broad portfolio of products for employer groups and individuals including Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. As a nonprofit company, Priority Health serves more than 600,000 people and continues to be rated among the best health plans in the nation by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
