HSC Center for Older Adults: 2023-25 Promoting Medicare Annual Wellness Visits

Promoting proactive approaches to preventive health can make a difference. Despite being demonstrated to improve health quality outcomes and reduce health care costs, the percentage of Medicare beneficiaries having an Annual Wellness Visit remains low at around 20-25% of eligible people. Moran et al show little change in the percentage from 2014 to 2018. Dr. AE Cuenca and co-author, Susan Kapsner cite several explanations for the low rate. Providers report a lack of knowledge about AWV components for completion and adequate documentation. Some feel insufficient staffing limits the ability to offer these visits. Socio-economic issues around pressing chronic health conditions that make it difficult for patients to prioritize preventive services play a role. Lind et al (2019) and Ganguli et al (2018) report continued health disparities with even lower percentages of eligible patients in minority populations receiving Medicare AWVs. This module aims to educate providers and clinical staff regarding the components, documentation, and benefits in providing Medicare Annual Wellness Visits to all eligible patients.

Target Audience

This activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, ambulatory clinic nurses, clinical pharmacists, certified public health professionals, social workers, physical therapists, licensed professional counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, and psychologists.

Learning Objectives

When you complete this module, you will be able to:

  • Differentiate between the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit and the concept of an "annual physical".
  • List the benefits of the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit to the patient and know how to manage patient expectations for the visit. 
  • Describe the benefits to your clinical practice of maintaining a high participation percentage within the Medicare beneficiary population. 
  • Identify common documentation errors that can result in payment denials from Medicare.
  • Discuss how aligning care with the IHI Age-Friendly Health System approach helps eliminate health disparities for older adults.

Funding

Current funding for ongoing availability is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number U1QHP287350100. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Health Resources and Services Administration or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacy
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 ANCC
  • 1.00 AOA Category 1-B
  • 1.00 ASWB Credit
  • 1.00 Certified Public Health (CPH)
  • 1.00 HSC Participation
  • 1.00 Physical Therapist (PT)
Course opens: 
05/05/2023
Course expires: 
05/25/2025
Cost:
$0.00
Rating: 
5

Disclosures

In accordance with the appropriate accrediting bodies, all planners, teachers, and authors with control over activity content are required to disclose to the provider any relevant financial relationships (those held by the person, currently or within the last 24 months) with ineligible interests. Accredited providers are required to provide this information to learners before the start of an activity. The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth Division of Academic Innovation's office planning team nor the subject matter experts have anything to disclose.

Primary Authors

Sarah Ross, DO, MS, CMD
Assistant Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Maria Crompton, DO, DipABLM
Assistant Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Consultants and Reviewers

Kate Taylor, DNP, FNP-C
Assistant Professor, Department of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth,

Estelle Harris Neufville, LCSW
Instructor/Social Worker, Center for Older Adults, University of North TexasHealth Science Center at Fort Worth

Jacob Rogers, PharmD
Assistant Professor Pharmacotherapy, UNT System Colleg of Pharmacy

Instructional Design

Brenda Wilson, MS, CHCP
Senior Instructional Designer
CE & Assessment Department, Division of Academic Innovation, University of Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth

Accreditation Statements

 

Jointly Accredited Provider MarkIn support of improving patient care, The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing Education for the healthcare team. 

As a Jointly Accredited Organization, The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. 

 

American Osteopathic Association

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth is accredited by the American Osteopathic Association to award continuing medical education to physicians. 

National Board of Public Health Examiners

This activity is approved for ## credit(s) accepted by the National Board of Public Health Examiners' Certified Public Health (CPH) recertification program.

Texas Administrative Code

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth certifies this activity meets the requirements for continuing education for Texas-licensed Professional Counselors and Texas-licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. 

Texas Physical Therapy Association

This activity is offered by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners Accredited Provider #2409035TX and meets continuing competence requirements for physical therapist and physical therapist assistant licensure renewal in Texas. The assignment of Texas PT CCUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by TPTA or TBPTE. 

Designation Statements

Physicians

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth designates this program for a maximum of 1.0 contact hour of AOA Category 1B CME credits and will report CME and specialty credits commensurate with the extent of the physician's participation in the activity. 

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth designates this activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Pharmacist

This knowledge-based activity has been assigned UAN JA0004637-0000-23-011-H06-P and will award 1 contact hour of continuing pharmacy education credit in states that recognized ACPE Providers. 

Statements of participation will indicate hours and CEUs based on participation and will be issued online at the conclusion of the activity. Successful completion includes completing the activity, its accompanying evaluation and/or posttest (score 70% or higher) and requesting credit online at the conclusion of the activity. 

Credit will be uploaded to CPE Monitor, and participants may print a statement of credit or transcript from their NABP e-profile. HSC complies with the Accreditation Standards for Continuing Pharmacy Education.

Nurses

This activity provides up to 1.0 contact hours. 

Certified Public Health Professionals

This activity provides 1.0 contact hours.

Social Workers

Social Workers completing this course receive 1.0 contact hour of continuing education credits. 

Licensed Professional Counselors, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, and Psychologists

This activity provides 1.0 contact hours.

Physical Therapists

This course provides 1.0 contact hours for PTs and PTAs licensed in Texas. 

For successful completion, a participant must attend the program, complete the evaluation, and request credit online at the conclusion of the activity. 

Certificate of Attendance

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth certifies this activity for 1.0 hours of participation.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ACPE Pharmacy
  • 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
  • 1.00 ANCC
  • 1.00 AOA Category 1-B
  • 1.00 ASWB Credit
  • 1.00 Certified Public Health (CPH)
  • 1.00 HSC Participation
  • 1.00 Physical Therapist (PT)

Price

Cost:
$0.00
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Accessibility Statement

If you require special assistance to participate in this activity, please call (817) 735-2539 or email: register@unthsc.edu. An Equal Opportunity University.