Team-based care improves cholesterol rates, according to HealthPartners Institute study

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — A team approach to managing Bruce Leonard’s high cholesterol helped lower his LDL level by 50 percent after just eight months. Leonard, who lives in Hudson, Wisconsin, is one of 1,000 patients who is part of an extensive HealthPartners Institute study looking closely at how a team approach to controlling high cholesterol and other coronary heart disease factors affects patient outcomes.

Patients with heart conditions who are receiving care at one of five HealthPartners clinics were chosen to participate in the study, which gave them access to a team-based approach to their care. With this approach, nurses and medical assistants at the clinics worked closely with patients and their doctors to help them to improve their health. In this new model of care, nurses and medical assistants review the medical record before the clinic visit to identify issues that should be addressed during the visit. After the visit, the clinic staff works with the patient to identify and overcome any barriers to achieving their care goals. This can be as diverse as finding transportation, helping the patient find places for physical activity or helping the patient find ways to pay for their medications.

“Sometimes medical issues can be daunting. They were professional and really explained things in depth and returned my phone calls,” said Leonard. “I really liked working with them. They had a sense of humor.”

“This is the future of medical care,” said Thomas Kottke, MD, a HealthPartners Institute investigator, “More than 60 percent of patients over the age of 65 have two or more chronic conditions. Having somebody who they can work with as frequently as they need markedly improves outcomes.”

It also has the potential to have a positive effect on the cost of care. For instance, the study found that team-based care for patients with coronary heart disease has the potential to be cost-saving for accountable care organizations if team-based care reduces overall costs by as little as 2 percent.

HealthPartners is working to create new payment systems that encourage this kind of team-based care for all patients.

The study findings are published in the August issue of The American Journal of Managed Care. The study lasted from March 2010 to March 2013.

Interviews and video opportunities available:

Dr. Thomas Kottke, HealthPartners Institute investigator
Bruce Leonard, patient who benefitted from team-based care approach to controlling high cholesterol