PATIENT MANAGEMENT
In recent years studies have brought to light the dramatic increase in radiation exposure caused by medical imaging, with CT being the major component. Approximately 67 million CT scans were performed in 2007, an indication of how large the problem has become. Care to Care believes that, when appropriately prescribed, diagnostic imaging offers tremendous insight into a patient’s condition and enhances patient outcome. When diagnostic imaging is inappropriately applied, patients do not benefit from the procedure, are exposed to radiation, incur unnecessary costs, and run the small, but real, risk of developing a radiation induced malignancy.
As an organization accredited by URAC in Health Utilization Management, Care to Care partners with health plans to ensure patients receive services that adhere to evidence-based standards of care. Care to Care offers a wide range of utilization management programs designed to ensure the appropriateness of imaging services. These promote the use of the right procedure at the right time, thereby reducing a member’s chance of receiving inappropriate imaging and unnecessary radiation exposure.
Care to Care’s radiology benefit management programs are aimed at fostering positive member outcomes by:
- Monitoring the quality of our network and the imaging services delivered to members
- Promoting peer-to-peer dialogues between referring physicians and our radiologist medical directors
- Encouraging a high level of compliance with screening for breast cancer and osteoporosis
