AREA CLINICS REAP BENEFITS OF COACHING AND PARTNERSHIPS
Kitsap Medical Group Clinic’s LPN administrator, Michelle Mathiesen, is no stranger to working with practice transformation coaches. Mathiesen has partnered with practice coaches since 2011. She sat down with us to discuss her agency’s experience with practice coaching.
How did this partnership develop?
Maria Klemesrud, who contracts with Olympic Community of Health (OCH) through Comagine Health (formerly Qualis Health) to coach in our region, worked with us to develop our pilot program for Meaningful Use (the national effort to expand use of electronic health records). Our team met with her to talk about our clinic and our goals. We filled Maria in on our personal interest in mental health services. She proceeded to connected us with Kitsap Mental Health Services (KMHS), facilitated collaborative meetings, and helped us build a strategy for our project. As of today, we have a KMHS counselor on site twice a month, acting as a Mental Health Liaison. Maria has been a wealth of information, ideas, and guidance, as well as making me feel like she is my biggest fan and staunchest supporter.
What is the benefit of having an on-site clinician from KMHS?
With the help of KMHS, we have been able to connect some of our patients with services that they have not had access to. We have also had the opportunity to adjust and start medications for patients that otherwise may have had to wait longer.
Are you billing for the Collaborative Care Model (a strategy for improving physical and behavioral health care integration)? Have you located a psychiatrist to consult with?
While we have not started billing, we do have a psychiatric provider, Dr. Britt Gonsoulin.
Tell Your Story:
Would your agency like to be featured in OCH's Partner Spotlight? Contact Amy Brandt.
Olympic Community of Health (OCH) is a nonprofit and an accountable community of health in Washington State. Our purpose is to facilitate healthcare delivery transformation and community health improvement across the Olympic region.