Advisory Board Customer Survey-Fall 2016

The purpose of this survey is to better understand our customers. Your input is greatly appreciated.

To say thanks, we will provide your choice of two free gifts 1) Our new special report "Risk Adjustment Coding--21 Questions and Answers, or 2) the 2016 Coders' Dictionary. Please leave your name and shipping information below.

Near the end of the survey are several short "SECOND OPINION" news stories that ask for your comments about industry trends.

Thank you. Questions? Please contact mike.grambo@optum360.com, or 571-521-7649

Question Title

* 1. What is the biggest area for improvement in our customer service?

HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT

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* 2. Is "risk adjustment coding" an issue that you are familiar with? Check all that apply.

Never heard of it.

We are aware of risk adjustment but not taking any action at this time.

We are being asked to improve our documentation and coding for risk adjustment purposes.

We have been focusing on risk adjustment for sometime.

We are involved with Medicare Advantage plans who provide education and training on this issue.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. Almost all providers of healthcare face the challenges noted below.

How do you view these concerns today as compared to last year (Fall 2015 )? If you are not a provider, how do you think the industry as a whole is doing.

	Poor	Acceptable	Promising
Having adequate patient volume	Having adequate patient volume Poor	Having adequate patient volume Acceptable	Having adequate patient volume Promising
Receiving fair reimbursement rates from payers	Receiving fair reimbursement rates from payers Poor	Receiving fair reimbursement rates from payers Acceptable	Receiving fair reimbursement rates from payers Promising
Ability to find and keep qualified staff	Ability to find and keep qualified staff Poor	Ability to find and keep qualified staff Acceptable	Ability to find and keep qualified staff Promising
Ability to comply with rules and regulations	Ability to comply with rules and regulations Poor	Ability to comply with rules and regulations Acceptable	Ability to comply with rules and regulations Promising
Controlling internal costs	Controlling internal costs Poor	Controlling internal costs Acceptable	Controlling internal costs Promising
Maintaining quality of care	Maintaining quality of care Poor	Maintaining quality of care Acceptable	Maintaining quality of care Promising

Comments ?

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* 4. Which of the factors noted above is the greatest concern ?

PREDICTING THE HEALTHCARE FUTURE

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* 5. Crystal Ball---What will happen in 2017 and beyond? Historically, customer responses have been very accurate at predicting events and trends. Answer using the scale below to indicate how certain you feel the event will occur. All of these events are uncertain, so just report your "gut" feeling about the likelihood they will occur.

	Will not happen		50/50 chance		Very certain	Don't know the issue/Can't answer
Zika virus spreads, raising fears about its impact on the Florida economy.	Zika virus spreads, raising fears about its impact on the Florida economy. Will not happen	Zika virus spreads, raising fears about its impact on the Florida economy.	Zika virus spreads, raising fears about its impact on the Florida economy. 50/50 chance	Zika virus spreads, raising fears about its impact on the Florida economy.	Zika virus spreads, raising fears about its impact on the Florida economy. Very certain	Zika virus spreads, raising fears about its impact on the Florida economy. Don't know the issue/Can't answer
CMS suspends action on MACRA citing industry backlash and confusion	CMS suspends action on MACRA citing industry backlash and confusion Will not happen	CMS suspends action on MACRA citing industry backlash and confusion	CMS suspends action on MACRA citing industry backlash and confusion 50/50 chance	CMS suspends action on MACRA citing industry backlash and confusion	CMS suspends action on MACRA citing industry backlash and confusion Very certain	CMS suspends action on MACRA citing industry backlash and confusion Don't know the issue/Can't answer
Lower unemployment levels result in higher volume of patient visits	Lower unemployment levels result in higher volume of patient visits Will not happen	Lower unemployment levels result in higher volume of patient visits	Lower unemployment levels result in higher volume of patient visits 50/50 chance	Lower unemployment levels result in higher volume of patient visits	Lower unemployment levels result in higher volume of patient visits Very certain	Lower unemployment levels result in higher volume of patient visits Don't know the issue/Can't answer
EpiPen price episode triggers price reductions for other high priced drugs.	EpiPen price episode triggers price reductions for other high priced drugs. Will not happen	EpiPen price episode triggers price reductions for other high priced drugs.	EpiPen price episode triggers price reductions for other high priced drugs. 50/50 chance	EpiPen price episode triggers price reductions for other high priced drugs.	EpiPen price episode triggers price reductions for other high priced drugs. Very certain	EpiPen price episode triggers price reductions for other high priced drugs. Don't know the issue/Can't answer
Online exchange insurance policies offerings expand to include new lower priced alternatives.	Online exchange insurance policies offerings expand to include new lower priced alternatives. Will not happen	Online exchange insurance policies offerings expand to include new lower priced alternatives.	Online exchange insurance policies offerings expand to include new lower priced alternatives. 50/50 chance	Online exchange insurance policies offerings expand to include new lower priced alternatives.	Online exchange insurance policies offerings expand to include new lower priced alternatives. Very certain	Online exchange insurance policies offerings expand to include new lower priced alternatives. Don't know the issue/Can't answer

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* 6. Are there other events that you think may occur?

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* 7. We are always looking for ideas for new books or software. Have you seen any interesting books (non-Ingenix or OPTUM), software or services recently ? Are there new books or software that Optum360 should be creating ?

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* 8. Please complete this sentence: "The book or software that I want is this__________"(please describe)

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SECOND OPINION--What's your opinion about these current issues?

These short vignettes ask for your thoughts on some timely topics. Please take a moment to scan the range of reactions, click on those responses that reflect your opinion, then provide your own reaction. Thank you.

SECOND OPINION--What's your opinion about these current issues?<br><br>These short vignettes ask for your thoughts on some timely topics. Please take a moment to scan the range of reactions, click on those responses that reflect your opinion, then provide your own reaction. Thank you.

Question Title

* 9. Low Morale Among Physicians May Force Many to Leave the Profession Early

A recent survey of 17,000 physicians by the Physicians Foundation finds that many are contemplating retirement or taking a less active role in the coming years. The problem? Paper work and third party payer intrusions.

Let practice managers handle the paperwork and payers. Physicians should focus on the patients.

The regulatory burden has been building for years. There is a breaking point.

Medicine is a business. There’s no way to avoid regulations and customers.

Clearly medicine has changed in the last 25 years. Not for the better.

Your reaction?

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* 10. Mindfulness practice: A promising approach to reducing the stress and unconscious patient bias.

Some recent research finds that mediation can work to remove harmful unconscious cognitive processes such as patient bias, clinician stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. The result is improved providers’ sense of well being, at low, or no cost. The only investment is time.

The entire healthcare industry needs this. Maybe payers could fund it?

Unfortunately, it’s immediately suspect among clinicians.

This is a radical new approach to better practice management. I’ll try it.

Show me the money; how it saves or makes money. Then, maybe

Your reaction?

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* 11. New Jersey Hospital Gives Patients IPad Meal Menus—Improves patient satisfaction

After relying on printed menus that often offered food that was inappropriate for some patients because of diet restrictions, the hospital turned to an online ordering system---using iPads-- where patients customized their meals according to their diet restrictions, and delivered food when the patient wanted the meal. As a result the hospital saw its patient satisfaction score jump by 10 percent and it saved $25,000 annually in food waste.

Great example of a technology that efficiently solves the problem.

There are so many potential problems with a system like this, it’s just not worth it

It's a win-win. Have a local high school do the IT work, and a local restaurant provide the food. Everyone would be happy.

Providing medical care is hard enough. Hospitals should just entirely outsource food service and delivery.

Your reaction?

Question Title

* 12. We greatly appreciate your thoughts.

To say thanks, we will provide your choice of two free gifts 1) Our new special report "Risk Adjustment Coding--Questions and Answers, or 2) the 2016 Coders' Dictionary.

Please leave your name, the name of the book you want and preferred UPS shipping address (no P.O. boxes, please)

Name of the book you want:

Your Name and Company:

Address:

Address 2:

City/Town:

State:

ZIP:

Country:

Email Address:

Question Title

* 1. What is the biggest area for improvement in our customer service?

Question Title

* 2. Is "risk adjustment coding" an issue that you are familiar with? Check all that apply.

Question Title

* 3. Almost all providers of healthcare face the challenges noted below. How do you view these concerns today as compared to last year (Fall 2015 )? If you are not a provider, how do you think the industry as a whole is doing.

Question Title

* 4. Which of the factors noted above is the greatest concern ?

Question Title

Question Title

* 6. Are there other events that you think may occur?

Question Title

* 7. We are always looking for ideas for new books or software. Have you seen any interesting books (non-Ingenix or OPTUM), software or services recently ? Are there new books or software that Optum360 should be creating ?

Question Title

* 8. Please complete this sentence: "The book or software that I want is this__________"(please describe)

Question Title

SECOND OPINION--What's your opinion about these current issues?These short vignettes ask for your thoughts on some timely topics. Please take a moment to scan the range of reactions, click on those responses that reflect your opinion, then provide your own reaction. Thank you.

Question Title

* 9. Low Morale Among Physicians May Force Many to Leave the Profession EarlyA recent survey of 17,000 physicians by the Physicians Foundation finds that many are contemplating retirement or taking a less active role in the coming years. The problem? Paper work and third party payer intrusions.

Question Title

Question Title

Question Title

* 3. Almost all providers of healthcare face the challenges noted below.

How do you view these concerns today as compared to last year (Fall 2015 )? If you are not a provider, how do you think the industry as a whole is doing.

SECOND OPINION--What's your opinion about these current issues?

These short vignettes ask for your thoughts on some timely topics. Please take a moment to scan the range of reactions, click on those responses that reflect your opinion, then provide your own reaction. Thank you.

* 9. Low Morale Among Physicians May Force Many to Leave the Profession Early

A recent survey of 17,000 physicians by the Physicians Foundation finds that many are contemplating retirement or taking a less active role in the coming years. The problem? Paper work and third party payer intrusions.