OB/GYNs

Articles with relevant information for OB/GYNs
01Feb

HEDIS Spotlight: Prenatal / Postpartum Care

HEDIS stands for Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set. It is a widely used set of performance measures by the nation’s health plans, and an essential tool in ensuring that our members are getting the best healthcare possible. It is extremely important that our providers understand the HEDIS® specifications and guidelines. In this section of The Checkup we will highlight different HEDIS metrics. We will provide a description of the measures, the correct billing codes to support services rendered and...

By OB/GYNs, Office Managers, Primary Care Providers, Specialists, 0 CommentsRead more...
22Dec

Texas Children’s Health Plan’s Chief Medical Officer Named ACOG President-Elect

Houston—Lisa Hollier, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer for Obstetrics and Gynecology for Texas Children’s Health Plan and Medical Director for The Center for Children and Women, has been selected President-elect of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists to serve the May 2017-May 2018 term. She will take office at the Executive Board Meeting on May 9, 2017. Hollier is also a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the Division of Women’s Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine....

By OB/GYNs, Office Managers, Primary Care Providers, , , , 0 CommentsRead more...
24Oct

Changes to the Sterilization Consent Form and Instructions, Approval Process, and Denial Letter

Changes to the Sterilization Consent Form and Instructions, Approval Process, and Denial Letter Information posted July 15, 2016 Note: This article applies to transactions submitted to TMHP for processing. For transactions processed by a Medicaid managed care organization (MCO), providers must refer to the MCO for information about benefits, limitations, prior authorization, and reimbursement. Effective September 1, 2016, the following changes will be made to the Sterilization Consent Form and corresponding instructions, the Sterilization Consent Form Denial Letter, and the process that providers...

By OB/GYNs, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , 0 CommentsRead more...
21Sep

Undescended Testicles and the Use of Ultrasound

Cryptorchidism or undescended testis (UDT) is the most common urological birth defect, occurring in 1 in 33 live male births. The most important reasons for surgical treatment of cryptorchidism include increased risks of testicular malignancy, infertility, testis torsion and/or inguinal hernia. The current standard of treatment for any UDT that fails to spontaneously descend by 6 months of age in the United States is orchidopexy (surgery to reposition the testis to the scrotum). Evaluation of UDT includes a thorough gestational...

By OB/GYNs, Primary Care Providers, Specialists, , , , , 0 CommentsRead more...
03Jul

Zika Virus Resources

The clinical and epidemiologic information about Zika Virus is rapidly evolving. Below you will find a list of websites and resources with the most up-to-date information regarding the infection. Texas Department of State Health Services Webinar: The Department of State Health Services has prepared a recorded webinar on the Zika Virus Disease by Dr. John Hellerstedt, DSHS Commissioner. The presentation includes information relevant to Texas providers on Zika incidence, distribution of the disease, modes of transmission, strategies to prevent transmission, and symptoms. The...

By OB/GYNs, , , 0 CommentsRead more...
06May

Annual Chlamydia Screening—No Pelvic Necessary!

Annual chlamydia screening is recommended for all sexually active women ages 15 to 24, as well as older women with risk factors such as new or multiple sex partners, or a sex partner who has a sexually transmitted infection. Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) are the most sensitive tests, and can be performed on easily obtainable specimens such as urine or vaginal swabs (either clinician- or patient-collected). The Centers for Disease Control estimates that nearly 20 million new sexually transmitted infections...

By OB/GYNs, , , 0 CommentsRead more...
05Apr

Cesarean Delivery

This article presents new research and strategies to safely reduce the rate of primary Cesarean delivery. One out of three deliveries is by Cesarean.  In certain situations, Cesarean can be life-saving for both mother and baby.  But Cesarean deliveries aslo carry greater risks for mothers—research has shown that women who deliver their first baby by cesarean are more likely to need blood transfusions and be admitted to the ICU than women who have a vaginal delivery.  In addition, after that first...

By OB/GYNs, , , , , 0 CommentsRead more...
17Mar

Provider Alert! LARC Billing Update

Paragard and Nexplanon have been added to the Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC) Buy Back Program. Paragard IUD (manufactured by Teva) and Nexplanon Implant (manufactured by Merck), have been added to the LARC Buy Back program, as the Mirena and Skyla currently are. Mirena and Skyla are currently available from Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy (NOTE: that has not changed from before). The Texas Medicaid/CHIP Vendor Drug Program has verified which pharmacies the Paragard IUD and Nexplanon Implants are available. In the case of Paragard: Biologics, Inc, Specialty...

By OB/GYNs, Office Managers, , , , , , , 0 CommentsRead more...
15Mar

Zika Virus and Pregnant Women

Everyone is talking about Zika! The virus is transmitted through infected mosquitos. Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, along with parts of South America, have documented transmission of the virus and pregnant women who live in or travel to these areas are at risk of infection. Infection during pregnancy may or may not be accompanied by symptoms and has been associated with microcephaly. No treatment is available at this time. The most important thing to remember is that our knowledge about several...

By OB/GYNs, , , , , , 0 CommentsRead more...
12Jan

The Importance of Educating Patient’s Caregivers on Shaken Baby Syndrome

Shaken baby syndrome, or inflicted traumatic brain injury, is caused by the violent shaking of a child with or without contact between the child’s head and a hard surface. Such contact may result in head trauma, including subdural hematoma, diffuse axonal injury and retinal hemorrhage.  Shaken baby syndrome, is the most common cause of traumatic death for children younger than 1 year. Approximately 20 per 100,000 infants per year experience abusive head injuries resulting from shaking typically triggered by a...

By OB/GYNs, Primary Care Providers, , , , , , , , 0 CommentsRead more...