NEW PROVIDERS
- Michael Antonell, MD of Beverly Anesthesia Associates, 480 Maple Street Suite C233 A Danvers, MA 01923. Phone: 978-304-8690 Fax: 978-304-8697
- Mitchell Bosman, MD of North Shore Pain Management, 900 Cummings Center Suite 221 U Beverly, MA 01915. Phone: 978-927-7246 Fax: 978-927-7249
- Anuj Sonawala, MD of Beverly Pathology, 85 Herrick Street Beverly, MA 01915. Phone: 978-922-3000 Fax: 978-921-7024
- William Rubenstein, MD of Sports Medicine North, 1 Orthopedic Drive Peabody, MA 01960. Phone: 978-818-6350 Fax: 978-818-6355
- Kevin Grafmiller, MD of North Shore ENT, 100 Cummings Center Suite 136 G Beverly, MA 01915. Phone: 978-745-6601 Fax: 978-624-4040
PRACTICE CHANGES/UPDATES
- Yuliya Mandel, MD of Cape Ann Medical Center has termed effective 4/28/2023
- Kathleen Raman, MD of Lahey Vascular Surgery has termed effective 3/31/2023
- Francis Cleary, MD of Lahey Cardiology has retired effective 5/1/2023
NEWS FROM NEPHO
APRIL 2023 EDITION
IN THIS ISSUE:
North Shore Neurology University
Reserve a Spot at Lahey Urgent Care
WellSense MassHealth ACO Update
The Sunshine Act Open Payments Program
Required Postings at BILHPN Offices
Referral Order Preference List
BILHPN Acuity Training for Epic Users
SAVE THE DATE
NP/PA Meeting
Date: Wednesday, May 24th, @ Noon
Location: Teams Meeting
RSVP: Alison.Wiklund@Lahey.org
Medical Service Conference
Speakers: Chad Brouillard Esq, Dr. Louis Tramontozzi and Dr. Joseph Peppe
Date: May 24, 2023 @ 6:00 pm
Topic: Discussion on the legal, medical and practice perspective of virtual medicine
Location: Teams Meeting (Click here to join the meeting)
Click here to view, download and print a flyer for more information
New Physician Orientation Meeting
Date: Tuesday, May 30th @ 7:30 am
Location: Teams Meeting
RSVP: Alycia.Messelaar@Lahey.org
Office Manager Meeting
Date: Wednesday, June 7th @ Noon
Location: Teams Meeting
RSVP: Alycia.Messelaar@Lahey.org
NECoMG Annual Meeting
Speaker: Dr. Nancy Cibotti, Chief Innovation Officer BILH Primary Care
Topic: Primary and Specialty Care AI, Market Trends, Digital Solutions and the Future of Innovations at BILH
Date: Thursday, June 15th, @ 7:00 am
Location: Virtual
RSVP: Margaret.M.Doyon@Lahey.org
NP/PA Meeting
Date: Wednesday, June 28th, @ Noon
Speaker: Dr. Gabriel Merlin, Coastal Orthopedics
Topic: Touching Hands Da Nang Vietnam
Location: Teams Meeting
RSVP: Alison.Wiklund@Lahey.org
NORTH SHORE NEUROLOGY UNIVERSITY
North Shore Neurology is launching an education program for providers interested in joining.
Below is a link to our launch video describing the details:
https://youtu.be/4Z9DjETuVpc
Below is a link to our enrollment:
https://forms.gle/p5hGWEYAgEySdBj19
North Shore Neurology hopes this will be another way to better collaborate, communicate and enhance relationships with physicians and APPs in the BILH community.
BILHPN TEXTING CAMPAIGN
BILHPN Texting Campaigns
The Beth Israel Lahey Health Performance Network, (BILHPN) has implemented a texting campaign to decrease the amount of outreach needed by our practices. There is a monthly schedule to target patients with specific care gaps and remind patients to make appointments. Patients are sent text messages based on their age, sex, measures they are non-compliant for, and risk condition gaps.
In April there were two texting campaigns: Breast Cancer and Open Risk. The text language is included below.
Breast Cancer:
[Practice Name] @ Beth Israel Lahey Health: One important component of primary care is preventive care. A mammogram – the screening test for breast cancer – can help find breast cancer early when it is easier to treat. To schedule your screening mammogram if you have not already done so, please call Radiology Scheduling at [SCHEDULING #]. If you need to update our records, please contact your PCP office at [PRACTICE PHONE]. To stop receiving messages, reply with ‘STOP’.
Open Risk:
[Practice Name] @ Beth Israel Lahey Health: Your health is important to us. If you have not yet scheduled a visit with your primary care provider’s office, please call [PRACTICE NAME] at [PRACTICE PHONE]. Regular care is vital to maintaining chronic conditions. Reply STOP to opt-out of messages.
In May the campaign will target patients who have been diagnosed with hypertension.
Hypertension:
[Practice Name] @ Beth Israel Lahey Health: Elevated blood pressure, known as hypertension, is a leading risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. To decrease this risk, people with high blood pressure should work with their PCP team to bring it into a normal range. If you have hypertension and have not been seen by your PCP recently, please contact your PCP office at [PRACTICE PHONE]. To stop receiving messages, reply with ‘STOP’.
If you have any questions or feedback regarding the BILHPN texting campaigns please reach out to Laureen Viel, Lead Population Health Specialist at Laureen.viel@lahey.org.
WELLSENSE MASSHEALTH ACO UPDATES
The Northeast PHO understands there has been an influx of communications and meetings surrounding the WellSense MassHealth ACO which went live on April 1, 2023. In an effort to help keep resources consolidated, we have created a tab on our website dedicated to information we are able to share that we believe will be helpful at this time.
Check back frequently for additional resources!
Click here to view, download and print a document that will aid in navigating the MassHealth product lines, accompanied by this MassHealth Provider Bulletin that breaks down the ACO exclusivity. Please note: the cheat sheet refers to products that COULD be accepted, but not necessarily ARE accepted by your practice. To determine if your practice is participating in a specific contract through the Northeast PHO, please refer to our Contract Participation grid (https://www.nepho.org/health-plan-participation-by-product/) or reach out to Alycia.Messelaar@Lahey.org.
PAYOR UPDATES
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Preventive Mammography Screenings
The members have access to preventive breast cancer screening services in accordance with nationally recognized cancer screening guidelines. Commercial HMO/POS, EPO/PPO, and Indemnity members are covered: For at least one screening mammogram annually, without an age restriction, when it’s determined by an ordering provider to be clinically appropriate for preventive care purposes. At $0 cost for this service. To view the complete notification, click here.
Authorization Requirements by Products
BCBSMA has posted an updated Authorization Requirements by Products. To view the complete list, click here.
Reminder: Authorization Required for Musculoskeletal Services
As a reminder, as of April 1, BCBSMA requires prior authorization for pre-scheduled inpatient and outpatient musculoskeletal services, including spine, joint, and pain management procedures. This update applies to the commercial (HMO, PPO) and Medicare Advantage members, and does not impact Federal Employee Program (FEP) members. To view the complete notification, click here.
Medical Policy Announcements
This document announces new medical policy changes that apply to the Medicare Advantage plans. To view the list, click here.
Medical Policy Update: Outpatient Prior Authorization Code List for Commercial Plans Managed Care (HMO and POS), PPO, EPO and Indemnity
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts has updated the policy as follows: To submit authorization requests through InterQual use Authorization Manager: 1) MP 585 Artificial Intervertebral Disc – Cervical Spine; 2) MP 320 Diagnosis and Treatment of Sacroiliac Joint Pain; 3) MP 690 Epidural Steroid Injections; 3) MP 485 Percutaneous Balloon Kyphoplasty, Radiofrequency Kyphoplasty and Mechanical Vertebral Augmentation. For additional information and to view the notification, click here.
New Equian Addresses for Pre-Payment Review
Equian, a nationally known payment integrity vendor, partners with BCBSMA to review select inpatient facility claims before payment. BCBSMA wants to let providers know about some changes that will take effect on June 1, 2023 to the addresses providers use to submit necessary information for Equian to complete their pre-payment reviews. To view the complete notification, click here.
When will Providers Process the Appeal for a Denied Claim?
Have providers ever sent us a claim denial appeal and wonder when it will be processed? BCBSMA processes appeals in the order BCBSMA receives them. Since the representatives don’t give appeal status information over the phone, we offer two methods for learning about appeals BCBSMA is currently reviewing. This information is refreshed each business day and is intended to help providers understand timeframes. To view the complete policy, click here.
Fallon
Revised Serious Reportable Events and Provider Preventable Conditions Payment Policy
The Serious Reportable Events and Provider Preventable Conditions Payment Policy has been revised. – MassHealth ACO required elements updated throughout. To view the policy, click here.
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Point32Health Data Breach Update: Point32Health has identified a cybersecurity incident that has impacted systems used to service members, accounts, brokers and providers. To learn more about the data breach and its impact, please visit the Point32Health website – https://www.point32health.org/provider/system-update.
Please continue to provide care to Point32Health patients as they work to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.
Medicare
Medicare Billing for COVID-19 Vaccine Shot Administration (Update)
CMS is planning for the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), on May 11, 2023. Review this page for information about Medicare billing for administering COVID-19 vaccines during and after the PHE. Starting August 24, 2021, through December 31, 2023, Medicare pays the additional payment amount (approximately $36 per dose administered for CY 2023) for up to a maximum of 5 vaccine administration services per home unit or communal space within a single group living location (Note: previously $35.00 per dose). For additional information, click here.
New Waived Tests
Make sure the billing staff knows about: 1) Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) requirements; 2) New CLIA-waived tests approved by the FDA; 3) Use of modifier QW for CLIA-waived tests. To view the MLN Matters article, click here.
April 2023 ASC Approved HCPCS Code and Payment Rates (Updated)
Updated rates have been posted to the website. To view the notification, click here and locate the rates in the Related Links section.
MLN Fact Sheet: Advance Care Planning (Update)
What’s Changed: 1) Added medical orders for life sustaining treatment and psychiatric advance directives as examples of advance directives (page 3); 2) Added clarification on documentation and time-based coding requirements (pages 3–5); 3) Added payment information for Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics (page 5); and 4) Added additional resources (page 6). To view the fact sheet, click here.
Tufts Health Plan
Payment Policy Update: Preventive Services
The policy has been updated as follows: Added codes 82272, 88304, G0500, Z83.71 and Z83.79 to the Colorectal Cancer Screening section, effective April 1, 2023, Code J7303 was removed from the Contraception and Contraceptive Counseling section and code J7294 was added to the Contraception and Contraceptive Counseling section, effective April 1, 2023. Code 64435 was added to the Contraception: Surgical Procedures section, effective April 1, 2023. Code 58555 was removed from the Contraception: Surgical Procedures section, effective April 1, 2023. Code 80422 was removed from the Gestational Diabetes section, effective April 1, 2023. Code 87592 was added to the Chlamydia and Gonorrhea Screening section, effective April 1, 2023. Domestic Violence section language was updated to align with HPHC-L language. Fluoride drops & tablets age criteria expanded to 16 years of age. Folic Acid age requirements were updated to 12-50 years of age. The HIV PrEP section language was expanded to include covered services. To view the complete policy, click here.
PHARMACY UPDATE
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) – Considerations for Place in Therapy
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists are part of the standard of care for many patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Despite their efficacy in both controlling blood sugars and reducing body weight, there are still many patients who are unable to meet these goals even with the addition of a GLP-1 agonist. As a result, additional mechanisms are currently being explored to determine their potential in the diabetes landscape.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is a novel medication, which activates GLP-1 receptors, as well as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. This dual mechanism has shown significant promise in the management of diabetes, while also promoting weight loss in these patients. Tirzepatide is administered as a once-weekly subcutaneous injection and is available in six doses (2.5 mg, 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, and 15 mg). While it is currently approved only for use in patients with T2DM, patients with comorbid obesity may also find success using the medication.
Compared with semaglutide (Ozempic) 1 mg weekly, tirzepatide showed significantly better A1c-lowering at various doses (5, 10, and 15 mg, see box). The maximum benefit was seen with tirzepatide 15 mg (-2.3% vs. -1.86% with semaglutide) in this population with a baseline A1c of 8.28% on average. Patients in this trial also lost significantly more weight with tirzepatide 15 mg compared to semaglutide 1 mg (-11.2 kg vs. -5.7 kg). Although not currently FDA-approved for obesity, tirzepatide has also shown significant benefit in patients with obesity and without diabetes as well. These patients lost up to an additional 18% of body weight with tirzepatide 15 mg compared to placebo in clinical trials.
An FDA indication for treatment of obesity is currently under review; however, it should only be used for treatment of T2DM at this time. Off-label use of certain GLP-1 agonists for weight loss have given rise to shortages of these medications for patients with diabetes. These shortages continue to be problematic and have extended to tirzepatide as well. Until tirzepatide is approved for use in patients with obesity, the preferred GLP-1 agonists for patients with obesity and without diabetes continue to be Wegovy (semaglutide) and Saxenda (liraglutide).
Some questions remain as far as tirzepatide’s place in therapy for management of T2DM. Trials are underway looking at whether tirzepatide will demonstrate benefit in reducing cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with diabetes. For patients with a history of CV disease, the ADA continues to recommend GLP-1 agonists proven to lower CV risk, such as semaglutide (Ozempic only), dulaglutide (Trulicity), and liraglutide (Victoza). However, in diabetic patients without significant CV risk that would benefit from additional A1c-lowering or weight loss, tirzepatide may be a good option to consider at this time.
Current Health Plan coverage: BCBS: Covered, MA Health: PA, HPHC & Tufts: Not Covered. Trulicity is the preferred GLP1 for most plans.
Please see the BILH Focused Diabetes Prescribing Quick Guide for SGLT-2i and GLP-1RA guidance.
REFERENCES:
- February 2023 BILHPN Pharmacy Newsletter
- American Diabetes Association. standards of care in diabetes—2023 abridged for primary care providers. Clinical Diabetes. 2023;41(1):4-31.
- Frías JP, Davies MJ, Rosenstock J, et al. Tirzepatide versus Semaglutide Once Weekly in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(6):503-515. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2107519
BILHPN Pharmacy Newsletters:
Please see the March 2023 BILHPN Pharmacy Newsletter published by the BILHPN Pharmacy team which is a valuable newsletter with current pharmacy related issues. You can access past issues by using the www.nepho.org Website under Pharmacy Resources*.
*please note, a password is now required to log into Pharmacy Resources on the www.nepho.org website. If assistance is needed, please contact Alycia Messelaar at Alycia.Messelaar@lahey.org.
For more information, please contact Carol Freedman at carol.freedman@lahey.org or at 978-380-4089
POPULATION HEALTH UPDATE
April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month
- Oral and oropharyngeal cancer is 2x more likely in men than in women
- Pre-cancers and cancers can be detected with oral exams (dentist, dental hygienist, doctor, self-exam)
- Advise patients on the importance of regular dental exams
- Ask your patients about white patches, lumps or sores in their mouth
- Regular alcohol use and tobacco smoking increase the risk of oropharyngeal cancers
- Advise patients on the risks, and encourage reduction or cessation at each visit
- HPV is another risk factor for oropharyngeal cancers
- HPV 16: linked to cancers of tonsils and base of tongue
- HPV is found in 70-80% cases of oropharyngeal cancers in North America and Europe
Gardisil: For the prevention of oropharyngeal cancers linked to HPV 16 (FDA approved)
- On time vaccination is important (2 doses before their 13th birthday)
Resources:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/oral-cavity-and-oropharyngeal-cancer/treating.html
PROVIDER RELATIONS
Please click here to take a moment to read the Provider Spotlights!
If you would like to be featured on the PHO website, please reach out to Alycia Messelaar at Alycia.Messlaar@Lahey.org or 978-236-1784.
Virtual Networking videos from NEPHO providers can be found here.
Please reach out to Alycia Messelaar at Alycia.Messlaar@Lahey.org if you are interested in being featured in a Virtual Networking video.
Click here for the PDF version of the updated PHO Directory as of April 2023. For your convenience, click here for the separate Specialists Only PDF directory to refer to as needed.
Please share this directory with your office by printing or showing them how to visit us online for an easy to use directory search tool.
Note: Primary care providers (PCPs) in the BILH Performance Network no longer need to submit an administrative referral to refer Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, or Tufts Health Plan members to a specialist in the BILH Performance Network. Please reach out to Alycia Messelaar at Alycia.Messelaar@Lahey.org regarding questions pertaining to providers within the BILHPN Network.
As a reminder, it is important to use the NEPHO Physician Directory when referring to a specialty physician.
Here are the key memos that have been sent out over the last month – JUST in case you missed it!
- Monthly BILH Pharmacy Newsletters
- Monthly BILHPN BMC WellSense MassHealth ACO Newsletter
- Monthly Beth Israel Lahey Health Performance Network CDI Newsletter
- 2023 Annual Dues
- MassHealth ACO
- MassHealth ACO go-live: week 1 FAQs
- Oral Health Screening EMR guidance
- eCW
- Athena
- Chad Brouillard Esq, Dr. Louis Tramontozzi of North Shore Neurology and EMG and Dr. Joseph Peppe of The Northeast PHO, discussion on the legal, medical and practice perspective of virtual medicine: May 24, 2023 @ 6pm
- Boston Children’s Hospital
- Boston Chlidren’s Hospital; Cont. Ed Opportunities and Urgent & Emergency Referral Process @ BCH
- BCHMedEd April Newsletter | See Upcoming Courses
Please reach out to Alycia.Messelaar@Lahey.org for a specific communication that you are unable to find.
THE SUNSHINE ACT OPEN PAYMENTS PROGRAM
The Physician Payments Sunshine Act is designed to increase transparency around the financial relationships between healthcare providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) fulfills the law’s mandate via the Open Payments Program. The Open Payments Program requires manufacturers to submit annual data on payments and transfers of value made to covered recipients.
Beginning April 1, 2023, physicians can access the Open Payments website to view information that has been reported about them under the Sunshine Act for calendar year 2022. Physicians have 45 days to review their Open Payments data and dispute errors before public release. The physician review and dispute period lasts 45 days, and closes on May 15, 2023.
We highly recommend that physicians check what may have been reported under their name. It is critical to your personal reputation as well as the reputation of the institution(s) you are related to. All information will be available to the public by June 30, 2023, therefore, accuracy is important.
Instructions: If you registered last year, you are not required to register again this year (click here to login). However, if it has been over 180 days since you logged onto the EIDM, your account may have been deactivated and you will need to contact the Help Desk to reactivate it (openpayments@cms.hhs.gov or 1-855-326-8366).
The initial registration is a two-step process (click here for instructions). You will need to have your NPI number, your license number, and your taxonomy code (available here). Note: you can nominate someone in the system to be your representative (click here for instructions).
For system issues, please contact the CMS Help Desk at 1-855-326-8366 or openpayments@cms.hhs.gov.
The BILH Conflict of Interest Department can provide additional support for any questions or concerns. Please send your concerns to Dan Vargas at email: dvargas4@bidmc.harvard.edu.
REQUIRED POSTINGS AT BILHPN OFFICES
There are two required postings that must be visible to patients at all offices. Click here and here to view, download and print them.
a. The Notice of Appeals
Please note that the Notice of Appeals has our BILHPN logo, and not the older Lahey logo. This must be posted in the office, as well as available to patients upon request. This is a requirement by the Health Policy Commission.
b. The Medicare Beneficiary letter
Beginning January 1, 2023, ACOs or ACO participants are now required to furnish standardized written notices to beneficiaries once per agreement period. The previous requirement was to provide written notices each performance year. BILHPN is currently finalizing the notice that will be mailed out to BIDCO and LAHEY beneficiaries (more information will be provided soon). In addition to the notice, CMS added a new program requirement that requires ACOs or ACO participants to follow-up with each beneficiary to whom it furnished the standardized written notice. BILHPN has yet to determine how it will meet this requirement as it awaits further guidance from CMS.
CMS also requires that ACO participants post signs in all of its facilities and make standardized written notices available upon request in all settings in which beneficiaries receive primary care. Please note that the Beneficiary Poster and Beneficiary standard notice are similar documents. The Beneficiary Poster and notice will soon be available on the BILHPN website under “Provider Resources.”
REFERRAL ORDER PREFERENCE LIST
NEPHO Primary Care Providers on EPIC,
As announced in our March Newsletter, the NEPHO Referral Order Preference List was updated to provide you with the current NEPHO Specialist directory to help enter orders for clinical services.
If you have not yet scheduled a meeting with Ann, please contact Meg Doyon at Margaret.M.Doyon@Lahey.org with your availability. In person meetings are currently being scheduled between April 20 – June 5, 2023.
QUALITY DEPARTMENT UPDATE
During the NEPHO Primary Care Quality Meeting held on March 21, 2023 the NEPHO Quality Team reviewed the following topics:
- Past & Present Performance
- 2023 Quality Measures & System Goals
- 2023 Patient Lists Distribution Schedule
- NEPHO Quality Initiatives
- BILHPN Texting Campaign
- OHMD Texting Platform
- Evening Clinics/Saturday Eye Clinic at Dr. Zanger’s Office
- Support for Practices in QIL & BIG
- Blood Pressures
- Auto BP Cuff
- MA Education & Training
- Northeastern Student for Patient Outreach
- EPIC Pools Communication
- My Lahey Chart & EMR Patient Portals
- Blood Pressures
To help support our goals and initiatives regarding BP’s, we suggest our PCP practices consider implementing the following best practices:
- Take BP a second time if greater than 139/89
- Re-schedule anyone with a high BP for a BP check or follow up appointment before they leave the office
- Ask patients to take a home BP (date, time) and record the results
- The 2023 BILH system goal for the hypertension measure is 85% of patients having blood pressure in compliance (less than 140/90)
If you have any questions regarding the 2023 Quality Measures and initiatives please reach out to the Quality or Population Health Teams. We appreciate all your help. Our contact information was included in the presentation which has been emailed to practice managers and quality contacts. We are here to support you and greatly appreciate your partnership. Thank you!
BILHPN ACUITY TRAINING FOR EPIC PROVIDERS
Below is a list of dates for BILHPN Acuity Training for Epic users and a link to the recording of the September 12, 2022 Session. Click on each date to register.
Provider Acuity Training Series with CME Credit
Click here to request access to view the Recording for the September 12th Provider Acuity Training Series Session.
July 18, 2023, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Arcadia Acuity Trainings
May 10, 2023, from 12:05 – 1 p.m.
CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION IMPROVEMENT
OPTUM NEWSLETTER – April – Focus on Chronic Kidney Disease
Please click here to view the 2023 Optum webinar schedule.
The Northeast PHO Clinical Documentation Improvement team has identified coding opportunities with patients who have GI related conditions and treatments. Please take a moment to review these slides and share internally to help with HCC coding.
Please reach out to Jessica Bryan, jessica.m.bryan@lahey.org, with questions or concerns regarding this clinical documentation tip or any other coding guidance.
PATIENT EXPERIENCE COMMENTS
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary and Specialty Care, Beverly – 30 Tozer Road Suite 203
- Dr. David Driscoll listens to what you have to say and follows through to help you with getting treatment. I highly recommend Dr. Driscoll, great doctor.
- Dr. Deborah Shih listens intently to her patients with caring and good advice. Her attention and presence is a welcome gift. Dr. Shih receives an A + from me.
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Beverly – 100 Cummings Center
- The staff in Dr. Pierre Ezzi’s office are very good! Always make me feel comfortable.
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Beverly – 30 Tozer Road
- I had been hesitant to change PCPs since I was so happy with my former doctor. I switched because I moved. I am happier now than before and so very glad to have discovered Dr. Spencer Amesbury.
- Dr. Karenjeet Chahal was the best doctor I have seen in years. She listened well and answered all my questions respectfully.
- Dr. Gail Ellis is always professional and helpful. She is caring and patient. She has been my PCP for many years and, I hope, for many more.
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Beverly – 900 Cummings Center
- Dr. Andrew Lenhardt is always attentive and listening to your health issues. He’s an excellent Doctor, patient and kind.
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Danvers – 480 Maple Street Suite 204
- Dr. Timothy Loughran is great, I like having him.
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Danvers – 5 Federal Street
- Dr. Brent Fryling and staff were all very helpful and all provided a welcoming experience during my visit
- My experiences with Dr. Margaret Legner have always been very positive. She is a good listener, answers all questions, is caring and attentive and in my judgment a very good doctor.
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Gloucester – 298 Washington Street 1st Floor
- I always have great visits with Dr. Amy Esdale, never a bad one. She is amazing!!!
- Dr. Kathryn Hollett was on time, friendly and courteous!
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Gloucester – 298 Washington Street 4th Floor
- Dr. Victor Carabba and his staff are outstanding and second to none. He is a physician whose bedside manner is unparalleled. He is simply, the BEST!
- Dr. Karen Damico is the best, most compassionate professional I know. I recommend her to everyone.
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Hamilton – 15 Railroad Avenue
- Dr. William Medwid is great. Would recommend to anyone
Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care, Manchester – 195 School Street
- Never a bad experience! Dr. Jana Oettinger is the best! Caring, easy to understand, and makes one think you’re the only patient she has that day.
- Dr. Matthew Plosker is very helpful and clear about his recommendations. He also has a very nice and caring manner.
Blackburn Primary Care, Gloucester – 1 Blackburn Drive
- I can’t say enough about the wonderful staff at Dr. Jay Isaac’s office. Everyone is so kind and compassionate yet at the same time there is an essence of happiness in the air. I’m very blessed to have found them.
Cape Ann Pediatricians, Gloucester – 298 Washington Street
- Office staff is AMAZING. Dr. Jeffrey Stockman is always accessible and available when needed!
Danvers Family Doctors, Danvers – 140 Commonwealth Avenue
- Dr. Subroto Bhattacharya is the perfect mix of great medical knowledge along with a compassionate and caring manner. He is a wonderful doctor and would recommend him to anyone.
EMTAR Healthcare, Inc., South Hamilton – 205 Willow Street
- Everyone at Dr. Michael Edwards’ office is always kind and helpful at this practice.
Essex County Primary Care, South Hamilton – 42 Asbury Street
- Dr. Nicholas Avgerinos and his team provide the level of service that my family and I expect each time that we visit. I recommend Dr. Avgerinos to everyone that is looking for a new PCP on the North Shore. He is intelligent, caring and above all else, the patient is his primary focus. The staff follow his example and always make us feel welcome.
Garden City Pediatrics, Beverly – 83 Herrick Street
- Dr. John Dean has always been straight forward and easy to talk to. My son loves him.
- Dr. Meghan Weir is a very good doctor. We have found her to be patient with our child and also showing patience and respect when explaining things to me as the Mother. I would definitely recommend Doctor Weir and we are happy to be one of her patients!
Leonard Horowitz, M.D., Danvers – 7 Federal Street
- Dr. Leonard Horowitz is the best doctor my family has ever had! He is extremely courteous, caring, and knowledgeable! We wouldn’t want to go to any other doctor!
North Shore Pediatrics, Danvers – 480 Maple Street
- We have always had a great experience with all providers we have seen at North Shore Pediatrics and this visit was the same with Dr. Shannon Dufresne.
- Always a very pleasant experience with Dr. Lance Goodman!
Thomas Pearce, MD, Gloucester – 279 East Main Street
- Dr. Thomas Pearce is always warm and respectful. He listens thoughtfully and responds with clarity and insight. His clear explanations and illustrations are greatly appreciated. My husband and I trust him and are grateful we are in his care.
Thompson Medical Associates, Gloucester – 9 F Dr. Osman Babson Road
- Everyone in Dr. Candace Thompson’s office is professional. They are friendly and extremely helpful. I love the office and all that work there.
PRACTICE RECOGNITION
The Northeast PHO recognizes colleagues who provide a positive experience for our patients, help us keep care local, meet our quality targets and support their colleagues.
This month’s winners are:
Ashley Nunes (left) for Quality. Her certificate reads: “For outstanding year-long support and collaboration with the NEPHO Population Health Team and proactively outreaching to patients to meet quality measures.”
With her is Theresa Horgan, Medical Assistant, nominated by Dr. Esdale. Her certificate reads: “For your dedication, professionalism and outstanding teamwork at Beth Israel Lahey Health Primary Care. Theresa Horgan is an award worthy team player, she helps out everywhere and stays late every day to make sure things are done.”
Areanna Ryan, Patient Service Representative, was recognized for her patient comment – for patient experience – comment read: “There is no better doctor than Dr. Carabba. Also Ari is wonderful! Three generations of my family see Dr. Carabba and we feel so fortunate to have him as our primary care physician.”
Please let us know if you would like to nominate a team member in your practice or another practice for the recognition program.
We will deliver gift cards to the winners each month, and they will be announced here in the newsletter. Please be sure to look for the new winners in next month’s issue!