Talking about incontinence, fall risks, and physical activity.

Prompting conversations when your patients won’t

Each year the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) canvasses a sample of our Generations Advantage members on important health topics using the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (HOS). There are five Medicare Star measures based on the HOS results, broken into two categories: Functional Health (which asks about improving or maintaining physical and mental health) and Effectiveness of Care (which evaluates provider conversations around critical health issues).

The Effectiveness of Care section specifically covers urinary incontinence, fall risks, and physical activity. It asks whether providers are discussing these topics and offering guidance if a member reports concerns. Physical activity questions gauge whether patients were encouraged to begin, continue, or adjust their movement levels.

HOS results show these conversations are still being missed. Many patients don’t realize these issues are manageable. Some may be embarrassed to bring them up, while others may assume nothing can be done. But addressing them early can prevent avoidable declines in health and well-being.

Tips for breaking the ice around these topics:

• Provide a checklist at check-in that covers these topics. Patients can complete it in the waiting room and then bring it into the exam room for discussion during the visit.
• Display posters in exam rooms that cover these topics with the aim of desensitizing these topics to help drive open discussions with providers.

We hope you’ll take the opportunity during patient visits to bring up these important areas of care—your brief conversation can lead to a big improvement in quality of life.