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Just like you, your health plan needs
an annual checkup.
Your health needs, and those of your family, change over
time. And you need to be sure your health plan meets your
needs today.
Selecting your health care plan is a very personal
decision. Only you can determine what the best health plan
is, to not only meet your health needs, but fit your budget
as well. The best way to make a good selection is to
understand the various plans available to you and how they
meet your requirements.
When you make your selections for the coming year, take a
close look at the plan options that feature University of
Iowa Health Care as a preferred or participating provider.
It could be the right answer for your family for routine
health care or when some of the finest specialists in the
country are needed.
Health plans that include University of Iowa Health Care
are:
- UICare
- Wellmark Health Plans/Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Iowa
- UIGradCare
- Most commercial health insurance products.
What is important to you?
Care?
University of Iowa Health Care is committed to quality
health services for your family and offers an excellent
selection of doctors and locations to provide for your
health care, both routine and acute.
The University of Iowa Health Care professionals
regularly earn high marks in patient satisfaction. Not only
do they provide excellent care, they also care about you.
Convenience?
- Visit
- UI Family
Care Center
- Pomeratnz
Family Pavilion
- UI
Community Medical Services
- for a complete list of area UI Family Care
locations.
Expertise?
University of Iowa Health Care provides the level of
health care you need, when you need it. You may need a
routine physical or a consultation with a world-renown
specialist. Either way, University of Iowa Health care is a
good choice for you.
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is consistently
ranked among America's best hospitals by U.S.News &
World Report. In addition, 11 specialties rank among the top
50 in the nation.
For health care information, services and health care
professional referral, contact UI Health Access.
Consumer Reports can't help you
on this one
How much time do you spend comparing features and prices
before you purchase a car? A day? A week? Longer? Do you
spend that kind of time and energy when you select a doctor
and health care facility?
Maybe not. Maybe because you don't know what questions to
ask. There are few references available that will rate
doctors and hospitals the way Consumer Reports rates
refrigerators.
There are many different ways to measure quality health
care. At University of Iowa Health Care, we suggest you use
the following criteria to compare health care facilities:
Credentials
Does the hospital willingly give you the information as
you ask for? If it does, it's a good sign it is confident
not only of its capabilities, but is dedicated to
maintaining and improving its quality of care and
responsiveness to patients. Is the hospital a member of the
Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Organizations (a nationwide accreditation organization)? Is
the hospital named in the US News and World Report
annual hospital survey of hospitals and medical
specialties? In what specialties?
Range of services
A hospital with a broad range of services can treat a
problem at any level - from the simple, but miserable,
allergy symptoms, to more complex medical conditions. This
type of hospital is also better prepared to handle
complications, should they arise. Because if the unexpected
does happen, you want the best medical care and you want it
now.
Does the hospital offer access to specialty diagnostic
and treatment options and access to specialists? Hospitals
that also are teaching hospitals provide the most up-to-date
treatments combines with research and education.
Experience
The more experience the doctor and hospital has with
necessary procedures, the better the results will be. The
more complex your medical problem, the greater the
differences in quality become and the more they matter.
Satisfaction
This is often reflected in the personal side of the care.
Do the doctors and nurses listen? Do they answer questions
and explain treatment? How much time does your doctor spend
with you?
Research and Education
A hospital that combines patient care with research and
education offers many advantages. A teaching hospital gives
patients the most rapid transfer of research knowledge to
your bedside.
Outcomes
While all risks connected with your hospital visit can't
be eliminated, the health status and quality of life you
experience after treatment is a good measure of outcome
success. Ask about mortality (death) rates and morbidity
(complication) rates?
Do your homework
Do you have a doctor? For many people, health care is on
an emergency-only basis.
How do you go about selecting this important person in
your life? You do your homework.
First, determine what kind of health care you need. A
family practice doctor? An OB-GYN specialist? A urologist?
Then check if the doctor is accepting new patients. Call
UI Health Access, 384-8442 or 800-777-8442, for a list of
University of Iowa Health doctors accepting new patients.
Other questions to consider include: Do you want doctor
who is Board Certified? Where is the doctor's office
located? What are the office hours? Is the staff friendly
and knowledgeable?
When you have narrowed your list to one or two doctors,
schedule a consultation and interview the candidates for the
job of being your doctor.
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