Saint Paul, MN – December, 2007 --- Aspen Medical Group is pleased to announce that it has received an award of $150,000 from UCare to help strengthen infrastructure in ways that contribute to improved health and medical outcomes for UCare members and other clinic patients in Minnesota. Aspen Medical Group operates primary care clinics in Bloomington, Hopkins, Inver Grove Heights, Maplewood, White Bear Lake, Minneapolis as well as St. Paul at Bandana Square and in Highland Park.
UCare granted funds to 25 clinics and care systems in Minnesota based on their ability to improve clinical outcomes in the following areas:
• Blood lead testing in children 9 months to 30 months of age.
• Documentation of at least six well-child visits by 15 months of age.
• Immunizations up-to-date for 2-year-olds.
• Appropriate chlamydia screening for women 16 to 25 years of age.
• Appropriate cervical cancer screening for women.
• Appropriate breast cancer screening for women.
To receive funding, providers were required to propose how they would develop and implement, or maintain, infrastructure capabilities to identify members with gaps in recommended care. Other funding criteria included efforts to engage patients to encourage clinic visits, conduct pre-visit planning to reduce missed care opportunities, and participate in the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), the state’s immunization registry.
“We are pleased to support Aspen Medical Group’s efforts to improve clinical outcomes for UCare members by promoting important health screenings, testings, and immunizations,” said Nancy Feldman, UCare’s President and CEO. “Our support exemplifies UCare’s mission of improving health in communities across the state through innovative services. And working directly with providers like this brings us closer to our members and their communities.”
About UCare
UCare is an independent, nonprofit health plan providing health care and administrative services to more than 130,000 members throughout Minnesota. UCare provides health care programs for people with Medicare: UCare for Seniors, a Medicare Advantage product; Minnesota Senior Health Options, a program for seniors with Medical Assistance but who may or may not be eligible for Medicare; UCare Complete, a Minnesota Disability Health Options (MnDHO) program for people with physical disabilities; and Partners Choice Network, a MnDHO pilot program for people with developmental disabilities. UCare also offers income-based health programs to people enrolled in Minnesota Health Care Programs, including Prepaid Medical Assistance, Prepaid General Assistance Medical Care, MinnesotaCare, and Minnesota Senior Care. For more information, visit www.ucare.org.
About Aspen Medical Group
Aspen Medical Group has more than 30 years of experience in health care serving patients across the Twin Cities by improving their health through our commitment to quality. Aspen Medical Group is committed to providing a superior patient care experience whether providing prenatal or geriatric care. Areas of expertise offered by our team of experienced board certified providers and specialists include: treatment of infants, children, adolescents and adults in more than 20 specialty areas. We are committed to utilizing best practice guidelines and continued research to achieve the best clinical outcomes for our patients. For more information please visit www.aspenmed.org