Help My Senior

Easing the struggle of the family caregiver

Many people can tell a disappointing story about the healthcare system, but one man’s experience is a real winner.

An older man kept getting a prescription for high blood pressure, although he maintained that he did not need it. He switched his care provider to Oak Street Health, which looked into the situation.

It was discovered that the man did not have high blood pressure, but that when he had to repeatedly wait for long periods of time at his previous doctor’s office, his blood pressure was raised by the time he was seen, and so he was always prescribed medication for it.

That was the story told by Jesse Marrero, the new Chicago area regional director of Oak Street Health, who spoke to about thirty members of the Alpha chapter of the Continuity of Care networking group on July 7 in Streamwood, IL.

Such attention to the patient’s welfare is part of Oak Street’s goal to “change the game of healthcare,” Marrero said.

He also said that because Oak Street spends much time with patients, and relying on preventative approaches, they have reduced hospital readmissions by 51%.

Oak Street Health is a nationwide company with offices in more than twenty states. It works only with Medicare insurance and provides primary care physicians in its offices. It provides such amenities as next-day appointments, free rides to its clinics and physicians’ giving much attention to patients.

Join COC Today

Are you a member of Continuity of Care in Illinois? Join now at the annual price of only $75 (and you get membership for two chapters). Now is a good time since you get nearly two months’ membership free. In other words, for this month, July, and August. Your membership will run from Sept. 1 to Aug. 31, 2023.

You can add a third chapter for only $15.

The mission of COC is to enhance the concept of continuity of care as both an essential part of the health care continuum and as integral to total patient care.

I have found these benefits with COC:

  • Network with healthcare colleagues
  • Share best practices, resources, information and lessons learned
  • Identify key professional resources or services
  • Enhanced professional growth with education on relevant topics
  • Increase your business exposure as you meet other partnering organizations
  • And more!

There are nine active chapters throughout Illinois. To join, go to the Illinois COC membership page.

For upcoming meetings, go to the Events Calendar.

One big event coming up is the collaborative networking meeting of the COC and Case Managers Society of America, on Wed., Aug. 3 from 4:30 to 7 pm at the Sheridan of Oak Brook, 2055 Clearwater Drive in Oak Brook, IL.

Sign up now and you’ll be all set for the meeting!