May 21, 2003
HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER IMPLEMENTS NEW METHODS FOR EARLY DIAGNOSIS
Hackensack University Medical Center continues to build upon its Preventive Medicine program under “Pursuing Perfection: Raising the Bar for Health Care Performance.” The focus of the program is to improve how the medical staff evaluates patients and determines the best course of action to keep them healthy. Studies show that it takes a physician four to 12 additional minutes per visit to discuss and prescribe preventive measures and that time constraints are usually a roadblock to this lifesaving follow-up care. 

“The targeted preventive measures are based on the current guidelines of a number of medical organizations such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the United States Preventive Services Task Force,” said Sue Binder, RN, CCM, preventive medicine project coordinator. They include mammographies, pap smears, and bone density assessments for women; prostate screening for men; eye and foot examinations for diabetics; the prescription of blood thinners for atrial fibrillation or beta blockers and aspirin for heart attack; vision and hearing screenings for older adults; immunizations; exercise programs; smoking cessation programs; and other tests, such as colonoscopies and cholesterol screenings.

“The multi-faceted team approach to this initiative includes the physician, the professional staff of the physician’s office, and the patient, who has a key role in the effort,” says Peter Gross, M.D., chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine and Pursuing Perfection Grant Leader. “The systemized referral process utilizes a printed checklist of health status questions and related preventive care measures.”

The patient begins the process by completing the questionnaire about the status of his or her health. The completed questionnaire is then reviewed by the physician, who checks off the recommended preventive care measures when deemed medically necessary. The order sheet is then forwarded to the nurse or office manager, who uses it as a guideline for ordering the tests or distributing patient education materials.

“Early diagnosis is a win-win situation,” said Jay Goldstein, administrative director, RWJF Grant. “Patients lead healthier lives due to treating any potential diseases early and with new-found education they can make more informed choices about their healthcare and when to seek treatment.” 

For more information on the preventive medicine program please call (201) 996-4286.

Hackensack University is one of seven healthcare organizations from across the nation to receive a $1.9 million grant as part of the second phase of a groundbreaking initiative, “Pursuing Perfection: Raising the Bar for Health Care Performance.” The $20.9 million initiative is a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and is administered by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
 

 

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