Let’s continue to focus on Medicare Star Ratings and improving the patient experience

In an article in the November-December issue of this newsletter, we reported on the outstanding 2023 Medicare Star Ratings we received. We captured 4.5-Star ratings for both our Medicare Plus Blue℠ PPO plan and BCN Advantage℠ HMO plan, making our plans once again among the highest-rated in the country.

“While it’s important to celebrate this important achievement — one that we were only able to achieve with the help of our provider partners — we need to keep up the momentum,” said Vanita Pindolia, vice president of Medicare Star Ratings for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. “We’ll soon be entering the next measurement period, one in which our ratings will depend in large part on the results of our annual CAHPS^®* survey.”

The survey, sent to a random sample of members each spring, assesses a patient’s experience with their health plan, prescription drug plan, health care provider and office staff.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan works closely with physician organizations, practices and individual providers throughout the year to give them tools to help them improve the patient experience. And when members have a good experience with their providers, it contributes greatly to our Medicare Star Ratings.

New podcast series

One of the most recent tools we’ve created to help practices improve the patient experience is a podcast series called “Practice Up.” The four podcasts included in the series are short and engaging, allowing physicians and other health care providers to listen at their convenience.

Podcasts include the following:

• Episode 1: A Minute to Win It
• Episode 2: What Matters Most
• Episode 3: Finding Room for Feelings
• Episode 4: Rock the Wrap-up

These podcasts give providers concrete steps they can take to improve the patient experience. “Many of us think of the patient experience as very subjective, but the reality is there are very objective things that a provider can implement in their interactions with patients that will improve the patient experience,” said Martha Walsh, M.D., senior medical director and associate chief medical officer for Provider Engagement. “Our overarching goal in creating these podcasts was not only to improve the patient experience, but also to help providers improve their own experience.”

Listening to all four of the episodes — and scoring 100% on the quiz questions — will also allow you to apply for continuing medical education credit. To receive credit, you must access the podcasts through the provider training site.

To access the podcasts, follow these steps:

1. Open the registration page.
2. Complete the registration, which takes less than a minute. (We recommend using the same email you use to communicate with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan for provider-related needs. This will become your login ID.)
3. Follow the link to log in.
4. Scroll down and click on the link that says Click here to locate the podcasts.

Note: If you already have access to the site, you can go directly to Step 3 to log in. Currently, nearly 1,200 providers have access to our provider training site.

New patient experience e-learning course

We also encourage you to check out the new patient experience e-learning course on our provider training site. It consists of four modules:

• Understanding the patient experience
• The changing expectations of consumers
• The importance of clear communication in setting expectations and building relationships
• The impact of the patient experience on health outcomes and tips for turning a good patient experience to a great one

To learn more, see the January Record article.

For more information

If you need assistance creating your login ID for the provider training site or navigating the site, contact ProviderTraining@bcbsm.com.

*CAHPS^®, which stands for Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.