HOUSTON and TAMPA, Fla., July 19,
2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Gregory Gedovin, who is 70,
suffered a series of falls and seizures that resulted in multiple
hospitalizations. But for Mr. Gedovin, the more serious issue
wasn't his health, it was his wife Joyce. She died in February, and
after 26 years of partnership, a life of one was a painful
adjustment.
When Michelle Cooper, a
registered nurse from WellCare of Texas, his Medicare Advantage health plan,
rang his doorbell in May, he didn't immediately answer. "I could
hear thumping," she said, "and I was worried he fell."
When he opened the door, he apologized for the delay. This
prompted the nurse's first piece of advice: Don't worry about it.
You're a week out of the rehabilitation facility. Take it easy
until you're feeling stronger. Cooper then sat down with Mr.
Gedovin and began an extensive assessment to evaluate his needs and
to create a personalized care plan to restore him to health.
Cooper is new to WellCare of Texas, a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans,
Inc., (NYSE: WCG). She was hired as part of WellCare's new
field-based care management program, which is designed to deliver
personalized, cost-efficient care for medically-complex Medicare
Advantage members.
"Field-based care management allows us to engage with members
who are dealing with multiple chronic illnesses, behavioral health
issues and other challenges, including a lack of access to needed
social services, to better address gaps in care," said Michael Radu, WellCare's senior vice president
of clinical operations and business development. "Face-to-face
interaction is one of the most effective ways for us to assist
members with complex health conditions to achieve and maintain
optimal health."
By making home visits, WellCare care managers interact with
members to address gaps in care, survey home environments for
potential hazards, and develop collaborative care plans to help
manage their chronic conditions and access the right level of care
in the most appropriate setting. Care managers also connect members
to community-based agencies to fill social service needs that may
be barriers to their ability to prioritize their health. Members
who receive care management have had recurrent hospitalizations or
emergency room visits, or have several chronic conditions.
Cooper provided the personal touch needed to help Mr. Gedovin
restore his health and quality of life. For three years, he served
as his wife's primary caregiver, helping her battle Alzheimer's. As
is often the case, he neglected his own health as he focused on
hers.
Cooper helped him get orthotics to improve his gait and reduce
his fall risk, adjusted his medication regime, and checked in to
make sure he was attending physical therapy to regain his strength.
She also helped him find a new primary care physician closer to his
home in Harris County.
Cooper also listened as he shared stories about his life's
greatest joy, Joyce. "Losing her is on my mind as much today as it
was the day I lost her," he said. "We got it right. I don't know
what I ever did to deserve a relationship like ours."
He appreciates the support he's received from WellCare during
his difficult transition to widower.
"In the end, what it's really about is listening," said Cooper,
a nurse for more than 30 years. "He likes that there's somebody out
there who cares. We're all that way."
About WellCare Health Plans, Inc.
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla.,
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG) focuses exclusively on
providing government-sponsored managed care services, primarily
through Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug
Plans, to families, children, seniors and individuals with complex
medical needs. The company serves approximately 3.7 million members
nationwide as of March 31, 2016. For
more information about WellCare, please visit the company's website
at www.wellcare.com or view the company's videos at
https://www.youtube.com/user/WellCareHealthPlan.
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SOURCE WellCare Health Plans, Inc.