August 21, 2008
UW Medicine physicians recognized for diabetes care
Twenty-eight UW physicians working at UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics have achieved recognition in diabetes care from the National Commission on Quality Assurance (NCQA).
NCQA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. The NCQA seal is a widely-recognized symbol of quality, and physicians who obtain this level of recognition must pass a rigorous, comprehensive review and must annually report on their performance.
UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics last year launched an initiative to improve diabetes care for patients. The initiative ties in with goals set by the Puget Sound Health Alliance, a regional effort established in 2004, with the vision of developing a state-of-the-art health care system that provides better care at a more affordable cost in the Puget Sound region.
Dr. Peter McGough, chief medical officer, UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics, said the national recognition of providers reinforces that the UW Medicine initiative is heading in the right direction. “This is a tremendous achievement,” said McGough. “With 28 of our physicians recognized in the state — out of a total 198 doctors recognized — we view this as a positive sign that our quality improvement efforts within UW Medicine are successful. We have more work to accomplish, but we will build on this recognition and add more providers to the list in years to come.”
NCQA, in partnership with the American Diabetes Association, developed the Diabetes Physicians Recognition Program to recognize physicians who use evidence-based measures and provide excellent care to patients with diabetes. The program has 10 measures which cover areas including blood pressure and cholesterol control, eye examinations and smoking status and cessation advice or treatment.
UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics’ physicians recognized include:
- Belltown: Dr. Cynthia Ferrucci, Dr. Rutherford Hayes, Dr. Corinne Sue Heinen, Dr. Sandra Lord
- Factoria: Dr. Neetilekha Choudhury, Dr. Maura Glynn-Thami, Dr. Thomas Hei, Dr. Lucy Hwang, Dr. Peter McGough, Dr. Anne Platzner, Dr. Pamela Yung
- Federal Way: Dr. John Chaffee, Dr. Victoria Fang, Dr. Eunjoo Yoo
- Issaquah: Dr. Sandra Anderson, Dr. John Gray, Dr. Randy Mandell, Dr. Patricia Read-Williams
- Kent/Des Moines: Dr. Michelle Depreaux, Dr. Michael Lauinger
- Shoreline: Dr. Matthew Jaffy, Dr. Julianne Mattson, Dr. Thomas Phillips, Dr. Sarah Simpson
- Woodinville: Dr. Tim Burner, Dr. Danielle Debelak, Dr. Stephen Emmons, Dr. Sarah Kramer
The UW Medicine Neighborhood Clinics are a network of primary care clinics located in seven convenient neighborhood locations around the greater Puget Sound area. The Neighborhood Clinics are part of the UW Medicine system, which also includes the UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center, as well as UWMC-Roosevelt, Hall Health Primary Care Center and the UW Medicine Eastside Specialty Center.
