In July, the WHI launched an annual wellness visit (AWV) improvement initiative. Annual wellness visits are beneficial for both patients and providers, as they provide an opportunity for patients to voice health concerns and providers to offer preventive care, screenings, and chronic disease management. However, the use of AWVs is low nationwide, especially among individuals with low incomes and communities of color.
In response, the WHI and its partners, Michigan Medicine and IHA, will identify which patients do not participate in Annual Wellness Visits and the root causes that may be contributing to disparities. To do so, partners will provide aggregated Medicare AWV data for the last three years and the WHI will analyze the data by race, disability, age, and zip code. With this data, the WHI will facilitate conversations about health and racial disparities, potential root causes, and strategies for closing the gaps.