Flexibility to Best Serve the Patient: Patricia’s Story

Managing diabetes was a challenge for Washington woman, but access to a dietitian - thanks to Medicare pilot program - has made it easier

Patricia Ferguson has always loved chocolate, which made managing her diabetes challenging. But recently, she’s been able to work with a dietitian to find alternatives that satisfy her chocolate craving and help her stay on top of her diabetes.

“It’s made me more conscious of what I’m doing. I try to follow my diet. [Her dietitian and physician] make me follow my diet better, and I have,” said Ferguson, a 73, who is retired from the National Science Foundation. 

Ferguson was connected to a dietitian through her primary care doctor at Bluerock Care. Located in Southeast Washington, D.C. Bluerock takes part in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) Model, a pilot program that rewards providers based on quality of care rather than volume of services, which is a hallmark of a traditional fee-for-service payment system.

Bluerock and other providers participating in ACO REACH are reimbursed by Medicare based on improvements to a patient’s health, allowing those practices to be less focused on maximizing the number of patients its physicians see in a day, or the quantity of routine, and often medically unnecessary tests and procedures it performs. 

Instead, the model offers providers added flexibility to cover certain services to better support their patients’ individual needs, like access to a registered dietician, help covering copays and transportation and in-home visits to individuals who are not well enough to make it into the office for appointments.

Ferguson said she also likes that she can reach out to her doctor and dietitian and get quick responses. 

“Whenever I have questions, I can call up. They get back to me with the answer. I have been very satisfied with the care I’ve gotten. They call up all the time to make sure everything is ok.”

She has had virtual appointments with a dietician through the clinic, which is able to monitor her blood sugar remotely through a blood glucose monitor. 

“They are always giving me helpful advice. When I do my blood checks in the morning, they will contact me when I have been eating something I am not supposed to.”

Though Ferguson said she still loves chocolate, she now opts for dark chocolate over milk chocolate, which has more sugar and can raise her blood sugar levels. 

“It’s little things like that, little hints to help you make good decisions,” Ferguson said.