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At PacMed, you'll find:
- 10 locations throughout the Puget Sound region.
- Before and after work appointments.
- Saturday appointments at our Canyon Park (Bothell) and Renton locations.
- Over 150 caring doctors to see you.
- Acceptance of major insurance plans.
- On-site X-ray, lab, pharmacy and physical therapy at most locations.
- Free or validated parking at all locations except First Hill.
- Primary and specialty care including checkups, dermatology, optometry and more.
Come find what you're looking for at PacMed!
At Pacific Medical Centers, we didn’t wait for healthcare reform to measure the quality of care we’re delivering to our patients. When it comes to quality—the right care, delivered at the right time and in the right way—PacMed has a solid track record of putting the best of medical science to work in its clinics for our patients every day.
PacMed Quality Innovations Began in 1990s
We began implementing quality measures more than a decade ago, long before the word “quality” became the catchphrase used by every newscaster talking about the state of American healthcare. Diabetes care is one example.
There is clear evidence that the payoff is huge for patients when clinicians test blood sugar and examine feet at every visit, check kidney function and LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) annually, and check eyes every one to two years.
Community Checkup Scores: PacMed Diabetes Scores Above Regional Average for All Measures
PacMed has spent years working to ensure that diabetes patients receive the best available care. What’s the result of PacMed’s quality focus?
PacMed has passed two diabetes care “tests” with flying colors. The Puget Sound Health Alliance Community Checkup for 2009* scored PacMed above the regional average in all four areas measured for diabetes care including: Blood Sugar (HbA1c) Test, Eye Exam, Cholesterol Test and Kidney Disease Screening.
(The Alliance is a nonprofit organization formed as a partnership among doctors, hospitals, patients, employers, unions, health plans and others working together to improve health in the Puget Sound Region.) This Checkup focuses mostly on effective care to promote better health, especially for chronic conditions such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes and depression. To learn more about PacMed’s Checkup scores visit the Puget Sound Health Alliance website.
*Citation: The Alliance has certified that the use of this data is consistent with Alliance Board-adopted Rules for Use.
PacMed also scored above the regional average in these categories:
- LDL cholesterol tests for patients with heart disease
- Appropriate use of antibiotics for the common cold (meaning antibiotics were not prescribed when they weren’t needed)
Premera Quality Score Card Tells Same Tale for Diabetes
The 2008 Premera Blue Cross Quality Score Card tells the same story when it comes to diabetes care. Working in collaboration with participating medical groups, Premera measured clinical performance in key areas of healthcare. The measures were based on national guidelines, best practices and a commitment to continuous improvement in healthcare quality.
PacMed scored above the health carrier’s network average for blood sugar and LDL cholesterol testing and at the network average for use of blood pressure medications. To see PacMed’s Quality Score Card you can visit the Premera site.
Diabetes Excellence: PacMed Recognized for Great Diabetes Care
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized PacMed for “consistently providing a high level of diabetes care.” The Committee rated PacMed on 10 categories. While 75 is a passing score, PacMed scored a near-perfect 95 points. In addition, over 30 PacMed physicians were recognized as part of an elite group of doctors providing the highest-level diabetes care. To learn more about the NCQA ranking and to find these elite PacMed clinicians visit our Diabetes Excellence page.
PacMed’s Internal Scorecard: What It Means for Patients
PacMed tracks every clinic against 14 quality measures to produce its own internal scorecard. This tool is another way that PacMed tracks quality to be sure our patients are getting the care they deserve. Every patient who needs care under these 14 quality measures receives a chart review and is contacted to be sure he or she is aware when screening exams such as colonoscopies need to be done.
“For us, quality is a way of life,” said Dr. Rick Ludwig, Director of PacMed’s Quality Initiative. The nurse director of PacMed’s quality program looks at data at the beginning of every month. Then, he goes to the clinics and coaches medical assistants about how to use the data effectively so that all patients receive the best care possible. “He helps the medical assistants organize a notebook to track patients with diabetes and heart diseases and then coaches the medical teams about how to use the information effectively to get the best outcomes for their patients,” said Dr. Ludwig.
PacMed’s Quality Focus on Mammograms
Mammography is another area in which PacMed clinicians have made strides. “We weren’t happy with our screening levels, and so we made mammography an organizational priority,” said Dr. Ludwig. What did that mean for patients?
- Patients were greeted at reception desks by staff wearing buttons that read, “Have you had your mammogram?”
- Doctors were notified about patients who needed a mammogram but hadn’t had one.
- Even if a patient came in because of bronchitis or an infection, their physician asked them to schedule a mammogram, if needed.
- Doctors reached out to patients by mail or phone to remind them to schedule the screening.
- A new Diagnostic & Wellness Center for Women was built to make routine mammograms as convenient and comfortable as possible.
Frances William-Clayton is a perfect example of PacMed’s quality program in action. William-Clayton had avoided getting a mammogram for years. A bad experience with a previous mammogram (not done at PacMed) left her unhappy about the prospect of another one.
Dr. Elizabeth McCarthy, William-Clayton’s physician, worked with her for five years to achieve the screening that she needed. A digital mammogram revealed a small speck that turned out to be cancer. To find out how the mammogram helped her physicians achieve a good outcome you can read her story here.
Primary Care and Specialist Physicians Collaborate
Quality measures are only one way PacMed clinicians live out their commitment to best quality care. When it comes to teamwork without barriers, PacMed is working along the lines of the Mayo Clinic, a provider of healthcare often touted as a model for delivering very high quality care at low cost. As at Mayo, PacMed primary care physicians and specialists work together so care is more comprehensive and less fragmented.
“We believe in patient-centered care. It’s just who we are,” said Dr. Ludwig. This means, for example, that when new guidelines for colorectal cancer screening are published by the American College of Gastroenterology (gastroenterology is the medical field that deals with digestive diseases, including those of the colon), PacMed specialists and primary care physicians sit down together to talk about what that means for patients. “We bring well-trained doctors into the mix and we talk to each other about how best to screen patients and then we implement changes. With collaboration, we can be sure our patients get the best,” said Ludwig.
Generic Drugs
Prescribing generic drugs instead of brand names is also an area where PacMed excels. “Generics are important for controlling costs,” said Ludwig. “We promote the idea of generics to our doctors. If we can prescribe a generic drug that costs $4 instead of a brand name drug that costs $75 a month and does the same thing, we go for the generic. We are resourceful and good stewards of our community resources.”
Because of PacMed’s quality initiative and the commitment of our medical teams to bring it alive for patients, patients can feel confident when they come to PacMed for care. “You can rely on us because of this program,” concluded Ludwig.
