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So far iCareHealth has created 10 blog entries.

These Common Meds May Hurt Your Eyes

2017-12-07T19:48:38+00:00

When we go on a new medication, we are hopeful that our health problem will go away – or at least be better managed. We are not hoping for a whole new set of health issues. But sometimes, that’s exactly what we get all thanks to side effects.   Here is a list of common medications that have been shown to negatively affect the retina (in some cases). This list is not comprehensive, nor will every person taking these drugs have negative eye-related side effects.   If problems do pop up, it is often related to inappropriate dosing. Sometimes any visual impairment will go away once you stop using it; other times the retinal damage can be permanent.   So no matter what, it is imperative to make sure you [...]

These Common Meds May Hurt Your Eyes 2017-12-07T19:48:38+00:00

How To Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy

2017-12-01T16:00:38+00:00

When we think about diabetes, we often think about one isolated problem: managing blood sugar. But the ripple effects of this disease can cause problems with all sorts of body systems and organs – including your eyes.   Diabetic retinopathy (DR) can occur when high blood sugar damages the retina’s blood vessels. And it just so happens to be the leading cause of blindness in America, though some people with DR have no symptoms or mild symptoms.   Fortunately, we have 5 action steps for you to take in order to prevent diabetic retinopathy:   Watch Your Diet   Remember this: what you eat today could affect your eyesight tomorrow. Make a healthy diet your #1 priority. Limit salts and sugars. Boost up nutrient-rich produce, low-glycemic grains, and lean proteins. [...]

How To Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy 2017-12-01T16:00:38+00:00

What You Need To Know About HEDIS Health Care Ratings

2017-11-14T17:54:01+00:00

Individuals. Families. Doctors. Insurance companies. Many different people are interested in the quality of America’s health care plans. The Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) gives you the answers you are seeking. How good are different plans in providing preventative care? What about treatment options? And how many do it so well that customers feel satisfied about their overall experience? Do these plans offer great physician and hospital choices? What Is HEDIS? HEDIS is a tool for better understanding health care plans. Created by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), HEDIS has a standardized set of performance measures that show the different health plans’ levels of service and care toward members. There are 81 performance measures broken down into 5 large care domains. Here are some examples of HEDIS [...]

What You Need To Know About HEDIS Health Care Ratings 2017-11-14T17:54:01+00:00

Could Primary Care Physicians Screen Diabetic Retinopathy With Success?

2017-11-13T23:54:33+00:00

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious issue for diabetics. In fact, it’s the leading cause of blindness in American adults of working age. But there’s a real problem: early detection is crucial, yet the average wait time for a DR screening at an optometrist or ophthalmologist office has been around 8+ months. Even more troubling, not everyone needing a DR screening always gets a DR screening. So what if primary care physicians could be the solution to this eye issue? Researchers attempted to answer that very question by taking a teleretinal DR screening program to 5 safety net clinics in the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services network. Some of these clinic’s medical assistants and nurses were trained to use fundus photography. Those images were then sent to optometrists [...]

Could Primary Care Physicians Screen Diabetic Retinopathy With Success? 2017-11-13T23:54:33+00:00

You Have Great Vision! Do You Still Need An Eye Exam?

2017-10-30T21:20:56+00:00

You Have Great Vision! Do You Still Need An Eye Exam? You’ve never had to wear glasses. You pride yourself on reading the small print from yards away. You are basically a vision master. So you probably think you don’t need to go to your optometrist, right? After all, aren’t doctors for sick people? The truth is no matter how amazing your vision is, you still need to see your eye care professional. Here’s why: Vision Isn’t The Only Thing Worth Checking You don’t only visit a dermatologist to deal with wrinkles. You don’t only visit a gynecologist to see if you can have a baby. And you don’t only visit your dentist to have whiter teeth. The reason we visit specialists is to ensure we are wholly healthy. How [...]

You Have Great Vision! Do You Still Need An Eye Exam? 2017-10-30T21:20:56+00:00

iCare Wins Aetna 5 Star HEDIS Quality Provider Award

2017-11-08T18:27:15+00:00

iCare Wins Aetna 5 Star HEDIS Quality Provider Award for Superior Outreach Services iCare Health Solutions has been honored with the Aetna 2017 Five Star HEDIS Quality Provider award. iCare, based in South Florida, has partnered with Aetna since 2013, providing optometric, medical eye care, and Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) services in the state of Florida. iCare’s Retinal In5ights HEDIS program provides customized solutions to assist health plans and medical groups in closing their non-compliant diabetic retinal exam (DRE) HEDIS care gap metric. The 5 Star HEDIS Quality Provider award was presented to iCare Health Solutions at the Aetna Vendor Expo. The expo's purpose was to train and educate companies on upcoming Medicare benefits. This highly exclusive award recognizes vendors for obtaining the “gold standard” in performance. [...]

iCare Wins Aetna 5 Star HEDIS Quality Provider Award 2017-11-08T18:27:15+00:00

What Diseases Can Your Eyes Predict?

2017-10-18T18:45:17+00:00

In poetic writing, you will find authors often say things like “her eyes told the story” or “his eyes said it all.” It’s a beautiful picture. We can all relate to a look that seems to speak sentences. What if we told you that your eyes tell the story of your body in a more literal sense too – in a life-saving sort of way? When you go see your optometrist or ophthalmologist and get a complete eye exam (more than just checking your vision and adjusting a prescription), you will be given a series of tests. Some of these tests, obviously, tell you about potential eye conditions. But some of these tests can actually predict other diseases too. Eye Disease Prediction Let’s start out with the obvious – a [...]

What Diseases Can Your Eyes Predict? 2017-10-18T18:45:17+00:00

iCare Brings More Diabetic Retinal Exams to You

2017-10-18T18:46:58+00:00

iCare Brings More Diabetic Retinal Exams to You During the next few months you may notice an increase in call volume and diabetic retinal exam appointments. Here's why: iCare Health Solutions is currently conducting Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and live agent outreach to contracted insurance companies who have diabetic members that are non-compliant for having their diabetic retinal exams. These members may be scheduling an appointment with you directly as a result of messaging they’ve received from their insurance company, primary care physician, or from us. They may also be transferred from an iCare Call Center representative to your receptionist for scheduling. Why is there an increased need for diabetic retinal exams? It all comes down to HEDIS. Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is something you should be [...]

iCare Brings More Diabetic Retinal Exams to You 2017-10-18T18:46:58+00:00

iCare Health Solutions HEDIS Patient Chart Requirements

2017-10-18T18:47:18+00:00

HEDIS Patient Chart Requirements Our health plan partners have updated their data requirements for HEDIS reporting, affecting all doctors. Therefore, we have listed below the updated patient chart requirements for documented Diabetic Retinal Examinations (DRE). Please ensure to include all information in your clinical notes for proper documentation of the service. (2) Member identifiers such as Member name and date of birth; or health plan identification number Name of provider performing the eye exam Provider credentials (MD, OD, DO) Provider signature Digitally signed documents are acceptable If not digitally signed, in addition to the signature there should be a legible printed name of the practitioner Type I Diabetes – Yes or No (E10.9 for type 1 with no retinopathy) Type II Diabetes – Yes or No (E11.9 for type 2 [...]

iCare Health Solutions HEDIS Patient Chart Requirements 2017-10-18T18:47:18+00:00

4 Signs Your Child Needs an Eye Exam

2017-10-18T18:47:55+00:00

Children's Eye Health And Safety Month Are you wondering if your child needs an eye exam? You are not alone. Children are susceptible to a variety of vision and eye problems, and good health starts early in life. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), your child should receive their first comprehensive exam shortly after birth, before starting school to check vision and eye alignment, and throughout their school years as needed. In support of Children's Eye Health And Safety Month, here are some common signs that you might need to take your child to an eye specialists: 1. Constant Eye Rubbing Rubbing your eyes when tired is normal. But if your child is excessively rubbing their eyes while completing homework or using electronic devices, it may be cause for [...]

4 Signs Your Child Needs an Eye Exam 2017-10-18T18:47:55+00:00