August 1, 2003

PrimariLink: SURVEY RESULTS 2003

We received 178 responses to our survey this summer. Many surveys included additional comments. We have picked a sampling of comments to share. In addition all the seats offered to Retreat Healthcare Workshops were filled within the first two days of returns. If you received a seat, the Continuing Education Department will be contacting you.

We hope you find the survey results useful. We appreciate the time and effort that people put into completing the survey.

Survey Results:

1. Rate your overall experience with PrimariLink: More than 9 of 10 respondents rated their interaction as good/very good/excellent.

‘Very on the ball and courteous’

‘I love the fact that it (PrimariLink) is in Vermont’

‘Responsive, timely and clinically relevant’

‘Individualized approach to patient care’

In addition several commented that ‘the reimbursement rate is too low’

2. Compare your experience with PrimariLink to other review companies. 7 of 10 respondents compared their interactions with PrimariLink as much better than or better than other review companies.

‘My clinical judgment is respected, I’ve never felt micro-managed’

‘I enjoy being treated as a competent professional by your case managers’

‘If I had to choose one Managed Care Company to work with it would be PrimariLink’

‘Far fewer hassles…more accessible’

In addition there were a few negative comments:

‘It feels like micro-management sometimes’

Several others hoped that the OTR would go away all together.

3. More specifically, compare your experience with PrimariLink case managers to other review companies. More than 7 of 10 rated PrimariLink’s case managers as much better or better than other review companies.

‘I am treated as an individual not a number’

‘More knowledgeable and helpful by far’

‘I feel like there is a professional rapport’

There were a handful of negative comments:

‘Worse due to limited sessions’

4. Rate the clinical criteria (LOCUS/ASAM) 8 of 10 rated the criteria good/very good/excellent.

‘ We also use these criteria and are thrilled when we find an insurance company that does too’

For those who had questions about the criteria, they fell into the realm of not really understanding the criteria and how it is applied to medical necessity, how it is used with high risk clients and whether or not it provided the necessary flexibility when dealing with individual people.

5. Use of the web page. 2 of 10 respondents to this question use the web page. For the few who had comments they related to online OTRs.
6. Changes to provider information. A number of you added information to your provider file. This information will be added to your biography and will help in the referral process. For those of you who added information but forgot to sign your name to let us know who you are…oops!

In Summary:

Better than 9 of 10 providers rated their connection with PrimariLink as good/very good/excellent. Your comments followed the same pattern with better than 9 of 10 being very positive. Like this one, ‘you are excellent, please don’t make any changes.’

In the few negative comments there seemed to be a theme that relates to clinical reviews. These were reflected in comments from several providers who felt ‘micro-managed.’ To put this issue into context, in 2003 we made the decision to keep the OTR document that some of you helped to create. It’s a format that allows for clinical documentation of symptoms, treatment and progress. It also acknowledges the need for the member to be involved in the development of their plan and looks to see how you are coordinating your work with other providers in the client’s life. To put things into perspective, the review calls we make cover about 10% of all the OTRs we review. The cases that are more apt to receive a clinical review are those with a high session count, a complicated diagnostic picture, a client who has had a recent or repeated hospitalization, or an OTR where the goals and outcomes may be unclear. For these types of cases we may call for clarification. It’s this personal clinical approach that we believe in and will continue to offer. This year’s survey results seem to support this approach. We do however, want our review calls to be of use to you and your clients.  In order to keep this process useful we need your suggestions. Vermont’s a small state, resources are limited and the more we can collaborate the better the care will be for our clients.

Again, thank you for your time and if you do have any further ideas or suggestions on how best to work together please call.

Peter Albert, LICSW

Director PrimariLink

802-258-6111 direct line

or

800-320-5895