Six physician groups in the Sutter Health medical network received top honors from CAPG in its annual Standards of Excellence Survey:

Elite Status (4 stars—highest recognition)

• Palo Alto Medical Foundation
• Brown and Toland Physicians
• Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation
• Sutter Medical Foundation

Exemplary Status (3 stars)

• Sutter Gould Medical Foundation
• Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation

View a list of PAMF awards, accreditations and achievements from 2011-2012.

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) for Health Care, Research and Education is a not-for-profit health care organization that is a pioneer in the multispecialty group practice of medicine. Founded in 1930, PAMF is part of the Peninsula Coastal Region of Sutter Health, one of the nation’s leading not-for-profit networks of community-based health care providers. Sutter Health’s Peninsula Coastal Region also includes Mills-Peninsula Health Services. PAMF’s 1,100 affiliated physicians and 3,300 employees serve approximately 800,000 patients at its medical centers and clinics in Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. For more information, visit: PAMF Website, PAMF Blog, PAMF Twitter, PAMF Facebook.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and affects 25.8 million people in the United States – nearly one in 10 Americans.  If current trends continue, it is estimated that one in three American adults will have diabetes by the year 2050.

Lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, are an essential part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and preventing and controlling diabetes. The current American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines recommend that individuals with type 2 diabetes engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity every week, as well as strength training three times per week. Current studies show that nearly 70 percent of individuals with type 2 diabetes do not exercise at recommended levels – or at all.

“There is clearly a need to extend physical activity interventions into the clinical setting,” says Latha Palaniappan, M.D., associate investigator at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute and principal investigator for this study.

The Initiate and Maintain Physical Activity in Clinics (IMPACT) study will examine an innovative structured group exercise program within the clinic.

“This study will help patients with diabetes get active and stay active.  We have an important opportunity to improve the care of diabetes nationwide, with innovative science here at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation,” said Dr. Palaniappan.

The IMPACT Study will fill an important research gap by making physical activity an essential part of type 2 diabetes management, establishing it within a health care setting and empowering patients to initiate and maintain physical activity recommendations long-term.

This study, starting in January 2014, will enroll approximately 300 patients with type 2 diabetes.  Adults interested in participating should contact:  IMPACT@pamfri.org for more information.

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) announced today that the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) donated $20,000 to support Measure Up Pressure Down, a national campaign to improve high blood pressure prevention, detection and control, spearheaded by the American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF), AMGA’s nonprofit education and research arm. PAMF is one of more than 140 medical groups and health systems that have signed on to participate in the campaign. Although there is no cost for participation, PAMF has demonstrated its commitment to meeting this public health challenge with the contribution.

“AMGF greatly appreciates PAMF’s support and dedication to curbing the burden of high blood pressure,” says Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, president and chief executive officer of AMGA and secretary of the AMGF Board. “PAMF continues to be on the leading edge of health care transformation and we commend them for signing on as a group participant to meet the challenge of reducing high blood pressure, and for providing financial support to help ensure the campaign’s success.” 

High blood pressure is one of the nation’s most significant health issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), high blood pressure contributes to nearly 1,000 deaths a day and accounts for an estimated $156 billion in health care services, medications and lost productivity. One of the most effective ways to control high blood pressure is for the patient to work with a coordinated health care team to get the condition under control. The central mission of Measure Up/Pressure Down is to mobilize medical groups and organized systems of care to adopt one or more evidence-based care processes that lead to measurable improvements in high blood pressure outcomes. To further the campaign’s reach, the changes in clinical practice are being supplemented with patient education tools, strategic partnerships, special events, and a national media and public awareness strategy.

“Our primary care doctors, specialists and health educators are partners with our patients, and preventing and controlling high blood pressure is one part of that relationship,” said PAMF Executive Vice President Tony Marzoni, M.D., M.B.A. “Our support of the Measure Up/Pressure Down campaign is an important way to enhance our ongoing efforts to inspire people to take great care of themselves and their blood pressure.”

For many years, PAMF has provided free blood pressure screenings to patients and the public at its medical centers and at community health fairs. PAMF offers a variety of resources including health education classes and lectures, as well as shared medical appointments (for PAMF patients) focused on specific health concerns. Additionally, blood pressure testing and preventive care are keystones of PAMF’s South Asian health initiative.

Other partners and supporting organizations of Measure Up/Pressure Down include the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Million Hearts initiative, Association of Black Cardiologists, the American Heart Association, the American Society of Hypertension, the American Kidney Fund, and the Institute for Health and Productivity Management. The campaign also has two national sponsors that are committed to helping resolve this public health challenge: Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

About the Measure Up/Pressure Down Campaign
The American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF), the nonprofit arm of the American Medical Group Association, launched Measure Up/Pressure Down, a three-year national campaign to improve care and reduce the burden of high blood pressure on November 29, 2012. Measure Up/Pressure Down includes more than 140 medical groups, health systems and national partners such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The goal of the three-year campaign is to have 80 percent of high blood pressure patients in control of their condition by 2016.

About AMGF
The American Medical Group Foundation (AMGF) is the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the American Medical Group Association and it supports and disseminates research on better ways to deliver health care that is scientifically sound and value-based. AMGF also develops and supports educational programs to enable all stakeholders-providers, payers, policymakers and patients to translate the evidence of what works best into everyday practice. www.amga.org/foundation 

About AMGA
The American Medical Group Association represents some of the nation’s largest, most prestigious medical practices, independent practice associations, accountable care organizations, and integrated healthcare delivery systems. AMGA’s mission is to support its members in enhancing population health and care for patients through integrated systems of care. More than 130,000 physicians practice in AMGA member organizations, providing healthcare services for 120 million patients (approximately one in three Americans). Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, AMGA is the strategic partner for these organizations, providing a comprehensive package of benefits, including political advocacy, educational and networking programs, publications, benchmarking data services, and financial and operations assistance. www.amga.org 

Contacts:

Sherry Greenwood, American Medical Group Association

(703) 838-0033, ext. 352; sgreenwood@amga.org

Cynthia Greaves,Palo Alto Medical Foundation Public Affairs

650-934-8614; greavec@pamf.org

More than 70 local community leaders, Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) physicians and office staff and leadership were on-site for the celebration.  President of Sutter Health’s Peninsula Coastal Region Jeff Gerard, PAMF CEO Rich Slavin, M.D., and PAMF Santa Cruz President Larry deGhetaldi, M.D., were there to highlight the importance of this project and to honor PAMF organization’s history. 

“The journey to bring a state of the art, full-service primary care clinic to our Westside community began in the mid 1990s and now that vision is about to become a reality,” said Dr. DeGhetaldi. “Tireless and relentless efforts by several key individuals have helped make this happen.”

“As a parent who will bring her children here, I am grateful,” said Santa Cruz Mayor Hilary Bryant, also a Westside resident.

The new clinic will be located on Mission Street between Laurent and Van Ness in the area that currently contains an empty lot used for seasonal sales of pumpkins, rental housing and a small commercial center.  The clinic will consolidate and enhance the services provided by the existing downtown and Westside clinic offices, including primary care, radiology, laboratory and urgent care.  The new clinic will also include pediatric services (new to the Westside), space for Shared Medical Appointments (SMA), and a community meeting room.  Twelve physicians will move to the new location and the office will eventually accommodate 18 full-time providers. 

The 18,000-square-foot, two-story clinic will be consistent with the Mission Street Urban Design Plan and with the neighboring commercial and residential character.  The height and site placement of the building will help screen residences behind the development from Mission Street traffic and noise. The design gives special attention to pedestrian friendly facades with amenities such as recessed entries, extensive street-level windows, trelliswork, screened parking and abundant drought-tolerant landscaping. There will be parking for 88 cars, a new bus shelter, wider sidewalks and 20 bike parking spaces. 

Architecturally, the building will have extensive “green” features and a contemporary design reflective of PAMF’s recently completed 2907 Chanticleer medical office building in Santa Cruz.  The new office will be approximately four times the size of the existing offices combined.

Design and Construction Team

• General Contractor – Bogard Construction
• Major Sub-Contractors – K.T. Mechanical, Hope Electric, Connor Plumbing
• Design Team – Ifland Engineers, Inc. (civil engineer), Thomas Scherer and Associates (landscape architect), PPD Multimedia (signage), Tharp & Associates (geotechnical engineering), Hamilton Swift & Associates (land use planning)

PAMF Santa Cruz is committed to using qualified local design and construction trade partners for its projects. 

More details on the new Westside clinic are online.

PAMF brings more than 80 years of outstanding and nationally recognized contributions to multispecialty care in the Bay Area, and offers reproductive endocrinology and fertility services at its Palo Alto and Fremont facilities.

David Adamson, M.D., founder and director of FPNC, FRHI and VASC

“By combining our organizations, we can use our expertise and resources to bring the best of reproductive medicine to a greater number of patients in our communities,” says David Adamson, M.D., founder and director of FPNC, FRHI and VASC.

“Coming together to form an expanded and integrated reproductive medicine practice is good news for patients in the Bay Area,” adds Cecilia Montalvo, vice president of Strategy and Business Development for PAMF. “The community will have even greater access to high-quality, seamless and coordinated infertility care in multiple Bay Area locations.”

FPNC has over three decades of nationally and internationally recognized accomplishments in the field of reproductive medicine, specialized surgery and assisted reproductive technology. FPNC provides sophisticated assisted reproductive technology (ART), reproductive surgery and reproductive medicine services, including an egg donor program with its own registry of donors, and a formal mind-body program. These programs will continue to be provided under the PAMF relationship.

PAMF will also continue FRHI’s outstanding endocrinology, andrology and ART laboratory that provides services for all aspects of female reproductive medicine as well as male testing and sperm cryopreservation. It has state-of-the-art egg and embryo cryopreservation programs for many patients, including those undergoing cancer treatments as well as for selected social reasons. FRHI has also been providing pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) and pre-implantation genetic screening tests for the appropriate patients since 1999. PAMF will also continue to operate VASC, which is an AAAHC-certified surgery center providing sophisticated, patient-friendly surgical services for ART and other infertility patients. It has an outstanding record of achievement in patient care, service and accreditation.

The not-for-profit Palo Alto Medical Foundation is a pioneer in the multispecialty group practice of medicine. PAMF’s 1,100 affiliated physicians and 5,000 employees serve nearly 800,000 patients at its 45 medical centers and clinics in Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. PAMF is recognized as a national leader in using state-of-the-art technology, including electronic health records, to provide patients with the highest quality care possible. In 1993, PAMF became part of the Sutter Health network of care, consisting of not-for-profit hospitals and physician organizations that serve more than 100 communities inNorthern California.

As part of the agreement, FPNC’S physicians, Dr. Preston Nelson, Dr. Alex Kim and Dr. Mary Abusief, are expected to become part of the Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group (PAFMG), the medical group that provides physician services to PAMF. Together with PAFMG’s other four reproductive endocrinologists, Dr. Lillian Swiersz, Dr. Salli Tazuke, Dr. Sunny Jun and Dr. Anthony Dobson, they will create a unified vision for fertility services at PAMF. Marina Gvakharia, M.D., Ph.D., who has provided outstanding service to FRHI for over 15 years, is expected to continue as Laboratory Director. Dr. David Adamson will provide patient care services and clinical and fertility consulting services to PAMF.

Dr. Adamson states, “I am excited about this transition of our practice, laboratories and surgery center as it creates new opportunities for further development of and access to the ART and Reproductive Medicine Programs I have worked with my partners to develop over the past three decades.

“Patients will benefit from this transition because the formation of an expanded and integrated reproductive medicine practice in Northern California will allow us to coordinate and deliver a broader range of high-quality, seamless services and better access over a broader area by outstanding personnel operating within world-class facilities,” says Dr. Adamson. Current office locations will remain the same.

A transition plan has been established to ensure continuity of care for patients. FPNC, FRHI and VASC, together with PAMF and Sutter Health staff, have been working together to ensure a smooth transition in all aspects of the practice, laboratories and surgery center. The transaction is expected to close July 1.

Contacts:

David Adamson, M.D., FRCSC, FACOG, FACS, Director, FPNC, FRHI, VASC

Through Nikki Marasco, 408-647-9809; nmarasco@fpnc.com

Jill Antonides, Ph.D., PAMF Director, Communications and Public Affairs

650-691-6240; Antonij1@pamf.org

Mark and Mary Stevens

PAMF’s new cancer center in  Sunnyvale will be named in memory of Father Locatelli, whose life was defined by “conscience, compassion and competence.”

Mark Stevens is the managing partner of S-Cubed Capital, his family investment office based in Menlo Park. He is a special limited partner and former managing partner at Sequoia Capital, a leading technology venture capital firm which is known for backing successful Silicon Valley icons such as Apple, Cisco, Electronic Arts, Google, Nvidia and Yahoo! Mary Stevens worked in the commercial real estate business for 13 years, lastly as a Vice President at Cornish and Carey Commercial in Santa Clara. She is a former member of the Santa Clara University Board of Fellows and joined the school’s Board of Trustees last year.

The Stevens were close friends with Fr. Locatelli, revered Jesuit priest who served as president of Santa Clara University for 20 years. Both Father Locatelli and the Stevens received medical care from Bart Lally, M.D., one of PAMF’s internists and gastroenterologists.  The Stevens’ gift also funded the naming of the primary care departments in appreciation of Dr. Lally.

“When patients enter our new Sunnyvale clinic, they will be in the Locatelli Center, a fittingly tribute to a wonderful man” said PAMF CEO Richard Slavin, M.D. “Paul helped integrate Santa Clara University into the Silicon Valley ecosystem.  The Stevens’ gift helps to extend his memory beyond the university corridors as a permanent legacy in our community.”

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s new Sunnyvale Center is slated to open for patient care on August 5, 2013. (See the construction progress and a time lapse on Live Webcam.)

The new cancer care center will extend PAMF’s culture of caring by providing one of the most comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and patient support cancer care programs in the region. As part of PAMF’s emphasis on personalized medicine and multispecialty care, patients at the new Sunnyvale Center will have a coordinated care-giving team comprised of their primary care physician, specialists, nurses and support staff.

PAMF Philanthropy Campaign Manager Raya Elias-Petros quantified the impact of the Stevens’ significant donation.

“The Stevens were key donors from the community who supported the campaign and made this new medical center vision possible,” Elias-Petros said. “Their donation commemorates a fine man and recognizes the value that PAMF provides to the community.”

The new cancer care center will increase community access to more oncologists and double the number of current infusion stations. It will also provide more advanced radiation technology, more specialized cancer care services and dedicated nurse navigators who will guide patients through the entire cancer care process with education, support and advocacy.

For more than 80 years, private philanthropy has allowed PAMF to build its commitment as a community health resource, leading the way in patient care, biomedical research and education. As a not-for-profit organization, PAMF operates in a fundamentally different way from investor-owned health care systems. The Foundation reinvests any revenue remaining after cost of care is covered to enhance patient services through improved facilities and equipment, health education, medical research and community benefit programs.

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation Mountain View Center will host a breakfast briefing on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on businesses on Wednesday, April 3, from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Organized by the Chamber of Commerce – Mountain View, more than 100 Bay Area business owners and chamber members from five local communities are expected to attend.

Sol Ross is the director of Private Sector Outreach in the Federal Intergovernmental and External Affairs Office in the Department of Health and Human Services.

Keynote speaker for the morning is Sol Ross, director of Private Sector Outreach in the Federal Intergovernmental and External Affairs Office in the Department of Health and Human Services. Ross serves as a liaison between the business community and the Federal government on Affordable Care Act. His presentation will cover small business tax credits, the medical loss ratio provision, insurance rate reviews, and the functioning of the insurance exchange.

Via WebEx from Sacramento, Michael Lujan, director of the Small Business Health Options Program, will discuss the role of Covered California, the state’s Health Benefit Exchange.

Both speakers will discuss the potential impact of the government’s Affordable Care Act on residents and business owners, and will do a question and answer session after their presentations.

Oscar Garcia, CEO of the Mountain View Chamber, will open the event.

In addition to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, other event sponsors include Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, El Camino Hospital and Kaiser Permanente, all of which will staff information tables.

The April 3 event is open to the community and media. Register online via Eventbrite to attend.  The $10 registration fee includes Continental breakfast.

Media Contact:

Oscar Garcia, Chamber CEO: ogarcia@chambermv.org; 650-968-8378

Findings presented at the American Heart Association Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Session

Palo Alto Medical Foundation’s Palo Alto Campus

A study conducted at the South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital in Mountain View, Calif., and the Palo Alto Medical Foundation showed that providing culturally competent coaching to South Asian patients may be an effective way to reduce their risk for developing coronary artery disease.  The findings were presented as a poster at the American Heart Association Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism Conference in New Orleans, March 19-22, 2013.

“Coronary artery disease affects the South Asian Community four times more than the general population, even for lifelong vegetarians who do not smoke and are not overweight,” said Powell Jose, M.D., division of Patient Outcomes and Clinical Research, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute, and poster presenter.  “Diet and lifestyle counseling had not been previously validated in the South Asian population, which makes these results even more encouraging as we continue to address this community’s increased risk for coronary artery disease.”

The study examined 703 patients at the South Asian Heart Center who opted to enroll in the Heart Health Coaching program and were either partially coached (n=145) or fully coached (n=558) for an entire year.  A third group (n=33) consisted of patients who did not participate in the program.  The level of coaching was dependent on participant receptivity to phone calls or e-mails from trained volunteers throughout the year who provided culturally competent health education on diet, physical activity and stress reduction.  To measure the physical impact of the coaching, fasting lipids were obtained and measured with mean differences calculated from baseline and the last available follow-up lab test.

Study results showed that in the fully coached group, there were significant improvements (p<0.001 for all) in total cholesterol (TC) (-5.5±28.4mg/dl); LDL (-4.1±24.3); HDL (1.9±6.4); triglycerides(-16.1±67.3); and TC/HDL ratio(-0.31±0.83).  The partially coached group demonstrated reductions in total cholesterol (-5.2±27.8, p=0.03); LDL (-8.1±28.0mg/dl, p<0.001); and TC/HDL ratio (-0.42±1.01, p<0.001) with a trend towards increased HDL (4.9±31.3, p=0.06). Non-coached participants did not have any statistically significant differences for any lipid measurement.   There were also no significant differences in mean age (43, 42 and 43), mean BMI (25.8, 26.5 and 26.2), or baseline lipid values across the three groups (completers, partial completers, and non-completers, respectively).

El Camino Hospital

“From a clinical standpoint, for every one mg decrease in LDL, there is a two percent decrease in that person’s risk of a cardiovascular event, which further emphasizes the importance of the coaching,” said César Molina, M.D., FACC, founder and medical director of the South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital.  “Physicians have limited time to provide patients with this type of detailed follow-through, so coaching can prove to be an effective resource for them to achieve improved outcomes in their patients.”

A secondary analysis examined lipid values and BMI in 492 South Asian participants (21.7% women) who completed the program with a comparison control consisting of South Asians with no prior exposure to theSouth Asian Heart Center or the coaching program, created using electronic health record data from a healthcare organization within the same geographic region.  The analysis showed that baseline characteristics were similar, yet for those who participated in the coaching program, there was an improvement in the lipid profile and BMI, with significant reductions in total cholesterol  (-2.33mg/dL, p=0.001); LDL (-1.45 mg/dL,  p=0.04); HDL (1.16, mg/dL, p<0.0001); Triglycerides (-9.61, p=0.002); TC/HDL ratio(-0.15, p<0.0001); and BMI (-0.12, p=0.005) versus those who had never come into contact with the program or the Center.

“Study results showed that even partial coaching could have health benefit for patients, as seen with improved total cholesterol and LDL levels,” said Ashish Mathur, executive director, South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital.  “Our heart health coaches are non-medically trained volunteers who monitor and motivate over phone and email, making this a cost-effective method for risk reduction in a vulnerable population.  We hope to use these findings to enhance our own coaching program and provide guidance to other communities facing similar challenges, not just inCalifornia, but nationally and across the world.”

About the South Asian Heart Center

The South Asian Heart Center at El Camino Hospital is the first major non-profit devoted to combating the growing epidemic of heart disease among people from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka through a unique preventative program.  Offered at a minimal, subsidized cost, the Center assesses the risk for heart disease and diabetes using an advanced screening process that keys in on risk factors specific to this population, and helps participants manage and mitigate their risk through education, nutrition counseling, lifestyle recommendations, and case-managed follow-up.

About El Camino Hospital

El Camino Hospital is an acute-care, 443-bed, nonprofit and locally governed organization with campuses in Mountain View and Los Gatos, Calif.  In addition to state-of-the-art emergency departments, key medical specialties include heart and vascular, cancer care, urology, orthopedic and spine, genomic medicine, and the only Women’s Hospital in Northern California.  The hospital is recognized as a national leader in the use of health information technology and wireless communications, and has been awarded the Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission as a Primary Stroke Center, as well as back-to-back ANCC Magnet Recognitions for Nursing Care. To learn more, visit their website, find them on Facebook, follow on Twitter, or view videos on YouTube.

About Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Founded in 1930, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation for Health Care, Research and Education (PAMF) is a not-for-profit health care organization dedicated to enhancing the health of people in our communities. PAMF is a nationally recognized leader patient-centered care, and a pioneer in e-health and innovation. Part of the Sutter Health network of care, PAMF’s 1,100 affiliated physicians and 4,300 employees serve approximately 800,000 patients at its medical centers and clinics in Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. PAMF’s South Asian Health Program (PRANA – Prevention and Awareness for South Asians), helps improve South Asian health and reduces disease risk through culturally tailored programs, health related resources and educational services. For more information, visit: www.pamf.org, visit the PAMF blog, and follow PAMF on Twitter and Facebook.

Media Contacts:

Chris Ernst
El Camino Hospital
650-962-5853
chris.ernst@elcaminohospital.org

Cynthia Greaves
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
650-934-8614
greavec@pamf.org

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) reached a significant program milestone with their participation in the Vascular Quality Initiative® (VQI) of the Society for Vascular Surgery® (SVS), a national registry and outcomes reporting system designed to improve vascular health care.

As of March 1, 2013, all vascular surgical procedures at PAMF are entered into a national registry to track risk adjusted quality outcomes. The registry will include patients being treated at PAMF centers in Burlingame, Mountain View, Palo Alto and Santa Cruz, Calif. 

Tej Singh, M.D.

“This is the first dedicated peripheral vascular registry to start at PAMF,” said Tej Singh, M.D., chief of vascular surgery and director of the Robert L. Mitchell Vascular Center at PAMF’s Mountain View Center. “The timing could not be better as cost and quality will be driving much of America’s health care reform and reimbursement.”

The VQI registry collects and analyzes data from individual providers, hospitals and regional quality improvement groups. VQI collects:

• pre-operative risk factors
• intra-procedural variables
• post-procedural outcomes
• one-year follow-up data

VQI uses the collected data to assess quality of care and determine best practices in vascular health care under the auspices of the SVS Patient Safety Organization (SVS PSO). The SVS PSO provides oversight of data sharing arrangements, key outcome and quality measure analyses, and dissemination of information to participating providers. 

“This is a major step forward and demonstrates our commitment to quality, reduced costs and optimal patient outcomes for our vascular patients,” said Dr. Singh. “For the last six years, our vascular practice has tracked our own quality metrics and data informally. Participating in this national registry allows us to measure that we are providing the best, cost-effective care with each patient encounter. We can also track and compare our results locally, regionally and nationally so we can set our vascular care program apart from others.”

The first data released from the registry showed that PAMF vascular patients’ stroke rate from carotid endarterectomy was less than one percent, already below the national average of three percent. Additional quality metrics will be shared as they become available from VQI’s national registry.

Dirk Baumann, M.D.

Dirk Baumann, M.D., a vascular surgeon at PAMF’s Burlingame Center and the new Mills-Peninsula Medical Center, and his vascular surgery colleagues know the value of outcomes measurement, because they have been part of a different national surgical quality program for nearly eight years. During this time, they learned about measuring and characterizing outcomes and identifying variables associated with these improved outcomes. 

“We examined post surgical infections with colon and bowel surgeries,” said Dr. Baumann. “We looked at different pre-operative procedures and antibiotic use. Then, using the data, we were able to develop a pre-op protocol to lower infections. This protocol is now being used by PAMF surgeons with positive results for our patients.

“One of the big things coming out of health care reform and registries like the VQI is the reduction in variation in the way that surgeons treat different vascular issues across regions and the country. In many areas of medicine, there are not sufficient data to prove the need or benefit of certain types of treatment. This volume of data helps us make better informed recommendations for the improvements to care for vascular problems.”

“Accurate clinical data is critical to continuous improvement in the quality of our service,” said PAMF CEO Richard Slavin M.D. “This registry will enable comparison of the performance of our vascular surgical outcomes with national norms. Our patients should expect that we are superb in our measured outcomes as we fulfill our commitment to provide an exceptional experience for every patient, every time.”

Beinan Zhao, MS, is a senior statistician with the PAMF Research Institute.

At this year’s conference, Zhao will be receiving a Junior Professional Award for her work on an abstract titled “Estimating Patient Adherence to Medication with Electronic Health Records Data and Pharmacy Claims Combined.”

Zhao has conducted statistical analysis and data management using SAS software in health policy, patient outcomes and clinical research studies as a member of the DISCOVER team at PAMFRI.  Her work focuses on utilizing de-identified data from Electronic Heath Records (EHRs) in chronic disease epidemiology research.  She is examining racial/ethnic disparities with regards to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors for the Pan-Asian Cohort Study (PACS). PACS is a five-year study funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), and led by PAMFRI’s Latha Palaniappan, M.D. which is researching diabetes and its risk factors among Asian American subgroups. 

Zhao has developed a series of comprehensive measurements for patient medication adherence, which is fundamental in understanding patient behavior in taking medications and its relationship to disease outcomes. 

Through the PACS study, the DISCOVER team is comparing the efficacy of oral drugs for treatment of type 2 diabetes among Asian subgroups.  It is well known that type 2 diabetes manifests differently in racial/ethnic groups, who may respond differently to the same pharmacotherapy.  The PACS cohort allows for comparative effectiveness research on diabetes medications among Asian subgroups, as well as the ability to study existing preferences for certain drugs among patients and physicians.