Recruitment strategies for medicare annual wellness visits

To increase the number of patients who receive Medicare annual wellness visits, physicians and staff both have a role to play. Nursing staff can review the daily schedule to identify patients who are eligible and remind physicians to recommend the service or recommend it themselves, using this approach:

• When talking with patients, start by describing the visit, then try to identify what aspect seems to most interest the patient.
• Emphasize that "Your doctor wants you to get this done. It really helps your doctor help you."
• Explain that the visit allows the patient and provider to talk longer than during a typical office visit.
• Give the patient a health risk appraisal to bring back; this gives the patient a sense of what to expect.
• Brainstorm potential solutions to barriers such as transportation, time, and care of other family members.
• Be knowledgeable, caring, and passionate while not overwhelming the patient.

Adapted from "Medicare Annual Wellness Visits: How to Get Patients and Physicians on Board."