INNOVATIVE PRACTICE FORM

Name: Mark Paley

Address: Carnegie-Sargents
Water Tower Place
845 North Michigan Ave, Suite 902 West
Chicago, IL 60611

Phone#: (312) 787-3046, 280-7794
Fax #: 280-7794
E-mail/Information service: N/A

Briefly describe innovation

Ambulatory Health Care Center. In this practice, a complete auxiliary health care team continues to close the gap between knowing and doing what it takes to improve quality of life by offering an array of beneficial services. Carnegie-Sargents is a 1000 square foot health care center that has private and semi-private consultation areas. On-site clinical consultations include nutrition, pharmaceutical (prescription/OTC drugs), and fitness related topics. The on-site health care team includes experienced registered pharmacists, dietitians, nurses, and physical and respiratory therapists. This team provides products and services related to 1) medication, 2) nutrition, 3) fitness, and 4) self-care. Patients are seen by appointment, and these consultations, on average, last an hour. Walk-in patients may spend an average of ten minutes with a member of the health care team. Services provided and their descriptions are as follows: Pharmacy Services- Dispensing. Review, analyze, and interpret patterns of drug use. Education to enhance compliance. Nutrition Services- Counseling for specific disease states, weight management, nutrition education, meal planning, and supplement regimens. Nursing, Physical, and Occupational Therapy Services- Patient education, plans of care, and detailed patient and environment assessments. Home Care Companion Services- Personal care services such as assistance with bathing, dressing, meal planning, feeding, continence care, recording vital signs, and light housekeeping. Respiratory Services- Gaseous and liquid oxygen programs. Fitness Services- Counseling for specific disease states, injury rehabilitation, personal training, performance enhancement, and lifestyle management. Self Care Services- Assisting in safe, appropriate, and effective nonprescription drug selection and use. Other services provided include: Infusion Services, Medical Supply Services, Accessibility Services, and Insurance Reimbursement Services. Store hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM (CST), Saturday 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and closed on Sundays and holidays. A twenty-four hour emergency paging service is provided by calling the regular business phone number.

Method of Reimbursement

Payor(s): Reimbursement is "100% non-assigned". The Health Center does not accept assignment over insurance. If penalized, then patients pay the difference for the services. Services are provided on a fee-for-service basis.

Reimbursement Rate: Charges for services rendered vary according with whom the patient consulted and for how long. However, an approximate listing of the nutrition consulting fees is as follows:
Computerized Dietary Analysis: $30
Initial Consult: (approx. 1-1« hours) $85/$110
Follow-up Consult: (every 1-4 weeks, approx. 30-45 min) $50/$75
Reassessment: (every 1-3 months, approx 1 hour) $50/$75

Is documentation required?
Yes, but the health center uses SOAP notes (Subjective, Objective, Action, Plan); therefore, each patient file is different according to whom he/she sees. Documentation is via hard copies.

Specialized training required?
Yes, each member of the auxiliary health care team must be licensed/registered in his/her area of expertise. All other staff (techs, clerks) are in-serviced. Because this facility is rather small, there is a great deal of quality control concerning staff.

Software/instrumentation required?
Yes, the facility is equipped with almost every type of computerized pharmaceutical/health care reference (Ask Rx, Clinical Pharmacology, Care Point, Mayo Clinic, etc.). The health care team uses this software as a resource to supplement knowledge.