Peoples Health has created initiatives around the activities below to help facilitate optimal health outcomes for your Peoples Health patients:

  • Completing common lab tests—comprehensive metabolic panel, CBC panel and hemoglobin A1c test—to monitor health and reduce the risk for certain conditions
  • Conducting a post-discharge medication reconciliation during a follow-up visit or phone call within seven days of a patient’s discharge to reduce hospital readmissions

Why are these labs important?
Certain chronic conditions are prevalent in Louisiana populations yet are often underdiagnosed and under-identified. The lab initiative is based on best practices to establish a baseline lab set for the early detection and monitoring of chronic conditions. We encourage providers to develop a routine of ordering these labs annually for all Peoples Health patients to identify, treat and potentially delay the onset of disease and keep patients out of the hospital.

Why is post-discharge medication reconciliation important?
Medication reconciliation within seven days of discharge helps verify that medication dosages are still correct and that there are no medication duplications, especially if a patient was prescribed a new medication during the stay. Post-discharge medication reconciliation also supports patient safety by preventing potentially harmful drug interactions or overdoses and helps decrease the potential for an unnecessary readmission due to medication errors.

Based on historical data, 64% of readmissions of Peoples Health patients occur 1 to 15 days post-discharge and 35% occur 1 to 7 days post-discharge. Medication reconciliation as part of a seven-day follow-up visit significantly reduces the chance of readmission. And primary care providers play an important role in helping to avoid readmissions through these efforts.

Help Patients Stick to Medication Regimens

Consider this: Patients are more likely to stick to regimens when prescribed long-term medication supplies (100-day or 90-day). Mail-order programs, such as through Optum Rx, also help with timely medication refills.

Read more about addressing adherence.

For more about these Peoples Health initiatives, view the Educational Initiatives Module on the UnitedHealthcare Provider Portal at uhcprovider.com/training. Click State Specific Training then Louisiana (Peoples Health). Or contact your Peoples Health representative.