Ed Taylor, MD, Honored with 2019 Innovator Award

(Omaha, Neb., 07/01/19): Nebraska Health Network awarded its first Innovator Award to Edward Taylor, MD, during its Spring Physician and Provider Meeting on June 11.

Dr. Taylor is a board-certified internal medicine physician at Methodist Physicians Clinic Indian Hills, and has been instrumental in using data to drive meaningful change.

Sophisticated data analytics have the potential to identify patients whose health conditions are predicted to worsen in the next six to 12 months. “Data alone cannot predict why a patient’s condition will worsen or what clinical interventions will help prevent the decline,” said Michael Romano, MD, chief medical officer for the Nebraska Health Network. “To maximize the use of data and really impact patient care, we rely on strong physician partners who will take the analytics one step further to review at-risk patients and decide on an appropriate course of action.”

“Dr. Taylor is a role model for how data should be leveraged to successfully manage the health of a patient population,” Dr. Romano said. “His passion for caring for his patients and maximizing data use made him the clear choice for our first Innovator Award.”

Medicare Annual Wellness Visits are preventive visits covered by Medicare at no cost to the patient that focus on issues that may be overlooked in routine physical exams and enable the care provider to develop a long-term preventive care plan for the patient. Research shows that patients who receive Medicare Annual Wellness Visits have substantially fewer emergency room visits and lower overall health costs. The following awards were presented based on completion rates and attribution size, or the number of patients assigned to a particular provider or clinic:

Highest Performers, Providers

• Suzan Crabb, MD, Methodist Physicians Clinic Healthwest, Internal Medicine (high patient attribution category)
• Quinn Schulte, PA-C, Methodist Physicians Clinic Ridge, Internal Medicine (low patient attribution category)
  

Highest Performers, Clinics

• Methodist Physicians Clinic Healthwest, Internal Medicine (high patient attribution category)
• Nebraska Medicine Elkhorn, Family Medicine (low patient attribution category)

Most Improved, Providers

• Andrew Vasey, MD, Nebraska Medicine Durham Outpatient Center, Internal Medicine (high patient attribution category)
• Emily Hill, APRN-NP, Nebraska Medicine Eagle Run, Family Medicine (low patient attribution category)

Most Improved, Clinics

• Midwest Regional Health Services, (high patient attribution category)
• Holmes and Munyon, PC (low patient attribution category)

About Nebraska Health Network
In 2010, two leading health systems in Nebraska -- Methodist Health System and Nebraska Medicine -- partnered together to create the Nebraska Health Network Accountable Care Organization. As an ACO, the Nebraska Health Network improves care coordination among the entire care team including primary care providers, specialists and hospitals. NHN is leading the transformation to a value-based care model where health-care providers, hospitals and insurers are focused on quality and cost initiatives that strengthen the patient experience. For more information, visit nebraskahealthnetwork.com.

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