Fallon Initiatives Address Imaging, Kids’ Health, and Depression

Fallon Community Health Plan (FCHP) and MedSolutions, Inc. have formed a new relationship to offer a physician-to-physician radiology consultation program. Since March 1, MedSolutions’ board-certified physicians have been available to answer questions physicians may have regarding the appropriate use of MRI, CT, PET, and nuclear cardiac imaging studies for FCHP members.

The voluntary program, called Radiology AnswerLine, is available to all FCHP network physicians between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. at (888) 693-3211. Physicians are required to identify themselves as FCHP providers and answer a few intake questions, but they are not required to provide any member information.

FCHP network physicians also have unlimited access to MedSolutions’ evidence-based clinical guidelines via the MedSolutions website at www.medsolutions.com. Click the “First Time User Help” link for access details.

Physicians are encouraged to take advantage of MedSolutions’ board-certified physicians’ expertise to enhance patient care, reduce costs through appropriate patient testing, obtain relevant diagnostic information, and minimize radiological exposure. FCHP also plans to analyze ordering patterns and work with outlier physicians and their medical directors to encourage them to use MedSolutions resources.

FCHP Grants Help Fund Physician-Directed Programs
Programs aimed at preventing childhood obesity and improving the treatment of depression in the primary care setting recently received Fallon Community Health Plan support with grants of $5,000 each. These grants support physician-directed programs that benefit communities in FCHP’s service area.

FCHP is funding the startup of “Start Healthy, Stay Healthy,” a pilot program at UMass Memorial Health Care that aims to change lifestyle patterns for the nearly one-third of all children who are overweight or at risk for overweight. While promoting healthy family lifestyles, Start Healthy, Stay Healthy sessions will include nutrition information, hands-on cooking demonstrations, active play, goal-setting, and rewards geared toward young children.

FCHP awarded its second grant to Northeast Physician Hospital Organization, which seeks to provide its North Shore primary care providers with toolkits for treating depression. Nearly 10 percent of the U.S. population suffers from a depressive disorder or depression in any given year, and primary care clinicians oversee the care of most patients with depression.

“Fallon Community Health Plan is proud to be working alongside innovative providers who share our commitment to improving the lives of those we serve,” said Eric H. Schultz, Fallon’s president and CEO. “I am very enthusiastic about the positive impact these programs may have in their communities.”

For more information or to receive a copy of the grant application, contact Kate McEvoy-Zdonczyk, Fallon’s director of community relations and development, at (508) 368-9523, or visit www.fchp.org/community.

– Dana Cooper