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Diabetes and hypertension might land you on kidney dialysis: Chronic kidney disease
Diabetes and hypertension are the two most common causes of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Estimates that for every person on renal dialysis, 20 to 30 patients have some lesser degree of kidney disease. Pubmed article by Malvinder Parmar, a director of dialysis in Canada, published in BMJ July 2002 outlines the five stages of chronic kidney disease that results in end-stage renal disease, or kidney failure.
High Blood Pressure (MedlinePlus)
Prevent and control high blood pressure; calcium channel blockers and ACE inhibitors, high blood pressure as related to diabetes, kidney failure, pregnancy or stroke; normal blood pressure readings, prehypertension, salt in the diet, and more
Prevention & Screening - Employer's Guide to 46 Health Services
Detailed and well-researched summaries of the Screening, Counseling and Prevention activities recommended for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), alcohol misuse, aspirin therapy, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, adult and childhood immunizations and screening, contraceptive use, healthy pregnancy (15 topics including influenza vaccination), depression, type 2 diabetes, diet, lipid disorders (cholesterol), obesity, hypertension, motor vehicle injury prevention, osteoporosis, sexually transmitted infections / STDs, tobacco use, and tuberculosis. One page overview in Part 7: Life Course Charts; Condition-specific evidence statements in Part 3. Prepared by the National Business Group on Health in collaboration with CDC: A Purchaser's Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Moving Science into Coverage. Pub. 2006, updated 2009
Other Helpful Listings
AMA: 266 Clinical Performance Measures for Physicians, 2009 (pdf)
The American Medical Association's Consortium for Performance Improvement has agreed on 266 measures in 42 clinical topics, that are supported by evidenced-based clinical guidelines. Topics include diabetes, asthma, COPD, heart care, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, stroke, pneumonia, emergency care, prenatal testing, cancer screening, smoking, prostate cancer care, ear and eye problems, depression, surgical infection prevention, GERD, end-stage renal disease, chronic kidney disease, substance abuse, wound care and more. Written for medical professionals, but consumers might learn something about appropriate physician care
California Health Insurance & Clinic Ratings, 2008 CCHRI Report (pdf)
Compare HMO health insurance plan ratings: Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente North, Kaiser Permanente S. Cal. and PacifiCare. Clinical performance (HEDIS measures) for prenatal maternity care, child illnesses & immunizations, ADHD, asthma, diabetes, depression and mental illness, heart attack, high blood pressure, cholesterol management, cancer screening, flu shot, back pain, osteoporosis and more. Consumer member satisfaction ratings listed in CAHPS section include Western Health Advantage scores. Physician group ratings for medical groups in Northern Cal. & southern CA listed in Patient Assessment survey section, include Hill Physicians, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter, Cedars-Sinai, High Desert, Prospect, Scripps, Sharp, Southern Cal. Permanente and more. Prepared by CCHRI (California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative), a group of employers, health plans, and health care providers across CA; 2008 CCHRI Report on Quality is 104 pages
Florida Health Insurance Plans - Quality Ratings & Satisfaction
Member Satisfaction and quality ratings for cancer screening, diabetes, heart care, maternity / prenatal, high blood pressure, heart care, asthma, immunization for HMOs, PPOs, Medicare HMOs and more. Aetna, America's Health Choice, Amerigroup, Av-Med, Blue Cross Blue Shield (Health Options), Capital, CarePlus, Cigna, Citrus, DoctorCare, Florida Health Care, Freedom Health, Great-West, Health First, Healthy Palm Beaches, HealthEase & Well Care, Humana, Leon Medical Centers, Medica, Neighborhood, Optimum, PartnerCare, Preferred, Public Health Trust of Dade Co. (JMH), Quality Health, Total Health Choice, United Healthcare, Universal, Vista. Uses 2005 to 2007 data. Search by county. No need to download a pdf to see the scores or the checkmark rankings
Louisiana Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2010
Compare health plan quality and customer satisfaction for insurance plans Aetna, Connecticut General, Coventry, Group Health, HMO Louisiana Blue Cross Blue Shield, Humana, BC BS of LA, United Healthcare PPO, HMO POS. Quality scores for diabetes, maternity, postpartum, well child, cancer screening, blood pressure, asthma, chlamydia, medical care use HEDIS 2009 scores (2008 data). Try not to be surprised at how low some of the scores are. Not all plans report. New website by state government still has some bugs in it Feb 2010
Maryland HMO & Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2008-2009
Compare Aetna (Maryland, DC & Virginia), CareFirst BlueChoice, BluePreferred PPO, CIGNA, Connecticut General, Coventry, Kaiser Permanente, MD-IPA, MAMSI Life, and OCI Optimum Choice on member satisfaction (CAHPS) and HEDIS measures such as immunizations, children's health, cancer screening, heart and diabetes care, mental health behavioral care, spirometry for COPD, and more. Comprehensive report by Maryland Health Care Commission includes scores for prenatal care and high blood pressure control; enrollment market share. 2008/2009 Performance Report, released September 2008
Massachusetts Medical Group Ratings and Patient Satisfaction 2007
Compare the clinical performance of 150 Massachusetts medical groups (e.g., Atrius, Beth Israel, Lahey, Partners Community) providing preventive and chronic disease services for asthma, back pain, cancer screening, COPD, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, pediatric care and more. Patient experiences with their primary care physicians for over 400 Massachusetts doctors offices. Site by Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP); 2007 health plan data (Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, Fallon, Harvard Pilgrim, Health New England, and clinical scores from Tufts) published April 2009
Minnesota, ND, SD, WI - Physician Clinic Ratings - HealthScores
Compare side-by-side (3 at a time) over 300 participating medical groups, hundreds of clinic locations and urgent care centers in Minnesota, Fargo, Grand Forks, Sioux Falls, and some WI communities for diabetes, vascular care, and mental health (depression). Some clinics also have patient satisfaction scores. Medical groups include Allina, Altru, Apple Valley, Aspen, Avera, Brainerd, Children's Physician Network, Dakota Clinic, Edina, Fairview, Fergus, Grand Itasca, Gundersen, HealthEast, HealthPartners, Lakewood, Mankato, Mayo Clinic, MeritCare, Innovis, North Memorial, Northstar, Olmsted, Osceola, Park Nicollet, Regina, Ridgeview, Sanford, St. Cloud CentraCare, St. Luke's, St. Mary's Duluth Clinic, Stillwater, United, University of Minnesota, Winona Clinic, and more; OB-GYN clinics, Urgent care such as Express, MinuteClinic, Priority Pediatrics. Separate Disparities report shows additional clinic ratings for Medical Assistance and Minnesota Care patients for cancer screening, controlling high blood pressure, heart (coronary artery) disease, asthma, immunization, appropriate care for children with colds and sore throats and more. Report by MN Community Measurement (founded by the MN Medical Association and seven non-profit health insurance plans). Unclear why dates of performance scores are not disclosed. Interactive easy-to-use format
New Jersey 2008 HMO Performance Report - Compare plans
Compare six health insurance plans (HMO and POS): Aetna, AmeriHealth, CIGNA, Health Net, Horizon, and Oxford, on member-rated satisfaction with their medical care and customer service, and clinical measures related to asthma, cancer screening, heart care, hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, mammograms, new moms, immunizations, mental health and more. Easy to read; fast response. Pub. by NJ Dept. of Banking and Insurance, Oct. 2008
New Mexico HMO and Health Insurance Plan Ratings (2008)
Compare 4 health insurance plans on how members rated their care and service, and how health plans scored on care such as cancer screenings, immunizations, diabetes, high blood pressure and mental illness care. Blue Cross Blue Shield New Mexico (BCBSNM HMO), Lovelace, Presbyterian (the largest and highest overall ratings), and United Healthcare. Click on Consumer Guide to Managed Care 2008 prepared by the state of NM Health Policy Commission. Three plans have Commendable accreditation status; United Healthcare is NOT accredited by NCQA
New York and New Jersey 2008 HMO and Hospital Report Card (nyshaf.org)
Compare cost and quality ratings for HMOs such as Aetna, AmeriHealth, Blue Choice, CDPHP, CIGNA, Community, Empire, GHI, Health Net, HIP, Independent, MVP, Oxford, Preferred Care, United & Univera side-by-side in NY and NJ, for diabetes, asthma, postpartum care, some cancer care, mental health, antibiotic use for children, low back pain care, Board-certified physicians, monthly health insurance premiums, overall patient satisfaction experience & more. Hospital quality comparisons on heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical infections also provided for NY hospitals. Inpatient volumes, average length of stay and average price (charges) provided for appendectomy, asthma, maternity (incl. newborn & c-section delivery), chest pain, depressive neuroses, diabetes, gall bladder surgery, heart failure, hip replacement, hysterectomy, stroke, cardiac procedures, pneumonia, and COPD. Some survival ratings. Impressive list of measures, too numerous to mention. Health Care Report Card prepared by the NYS Health Accountability Foundation - a partnership of the NY Business Group on Health and IPRO (the QIO). Dates of data vary; HMO premiums are supposed to be current to the month
Texas - Guide to Texas HMO Quality 2008 (OPIC)
Lengthy (212 pages) but valuable report showing detailed clinical quality comparisons between HMO health insurance plans for indicators such as asthma, childhood immunizations, cancer screening, heart care, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes care, prenatal care, mental health care, flu shots, ER visit rates, rates of physician board certification, and more. Pub. by TX Office of Public Insurance Council Oct. 2008
Utah HMO Health Insurance Plan 2008 Ratings
Compares Utah HMOs covering about 40% of Utah residents - health insurance plans Altius, HealthWise, SelectHealth, United Healthcare, and Medicaid plans (Healthy U, Molina, IHC Preferred, Select Access PEHP CHIP) on back pain, cancer screening, and high blood pressure (categorized under Health Care for Adults); diabetes, antidepressant medication, prenatal & maternity, preventive care, well-child visits & immunizations, overall member satisfaction rates, and more. Shows actual performance rates, and a star-rating. Members rated slightly higher satisfaction with Altius than with other plans, but the HEDIS quality scores are not necessarily higher. Which is more important to you: Satisfaction or Quality? Click on Download Print Version for complete pdf (on left), or see individual topics under Quality of Care and Consumer Satisfaction. Key Findings do not show HMO names. 2008 Performance Report published by utah.gov Nov. 2008
Vermont - Compare Health Insurance Plan Ratings 2009 (pdf)
Compare Blue Cross Blue Shield of VT, CIGNA, MVP, and The Vermont Health Plan, on consumer and patient experiences; how well the plans do cancer screening, flu shot and other immunizations, antibiotic use in kids, prenatal care, asthma & bronchitis care, mental health treatment, back pain evaluation, blood pressure mgmt, alcohol dependence, arthritis and COPD care. State BISHCA report by Dept. of Banking, Insurance uses 2009 CAHPS and 2008 HEDIS data; 11 pages
Wisconsin Collaborative (WCHQ) - Health Insurance Plan Ratings
Compare Dean, Gundersen Lutheran, Mercy, Physicians Plus, Security and Unity Health Plan, on 17 quality and satisfaction ratings (CAHPS & HEDIS measures). Includes Diabetes, Heart Care, High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol, and Patient Satisfaction with their doctor and health insurance plan. Shows 2007 data, one measure at a time. Report by WI Collaborative for Healthcare Quality
Wisconsin Collaborative (WCHQ) - Physician Group Ratings
Compare WI physician clinics on measures related to Appointment availability (time to schedule a doctor's appt.), Diabetes, Hypertension, Cholesterol management, Postpartum care, smoking & osteoporosis screening, pneumonia shot, and screening for Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer & Colorectal Cancer. Includes Affinity, Aurora, Bellin, Columbia St. Mary's, Dean, Franciscan Skemp, Gundersen Clinic, Luther Midelfort, Marshfield Clinic, Medical College Physicians, Mercy, Prevea, ProHealth, ThedaCare, UW Health and Wheaton Franciscan. Some info for Monroe Clinic, West Bend, and LakeShore Medical. The Sort-by-Rank option helps you see better performers on the top of your list for some items. Easy to read reports by WI Collaborative for Healthcare Quality; 2008 and 2009 data