Scott & White Health Plan

Scott & White patient James Fowler jokes that he never expected to be in such good shape at his age. After all, the 72-year old Killeen resident has hereditary heart disease and diabetes.

So the fact that he is now more than 70 pounds lighter and on drastically reduced doses of insulin surprises even him.

Not that he's complaining. Mr. Fowler has turned his health around since he voluntarily enrolled in a pilot program operating out of the Harker Heights Clinic to shepherd patients with chronic disease through all the steps it takes to stay on top of their health.

"People get inundated with the tasks of daily life, and sometimes managing a chronic disease can seem overwhelming on top of everything else," says Beth McMurtry, RN-BC,CDE Cooperative Care nurse at the Harker Heights clinic where Mr. Fowler receives his primary care.

The cooperative care team - physicians, nurses, pharmacists - is there to make sure the patient has back-up support, someone to ‘answer to.'

"When you have a chronic disease, prevention starts at home," says Ms. McMurtry, "and that's what we help patients understand."

The Cooperative Care pilot program, initiated by the Scott & White Health Plan, gives the patient ongoing access to his healthcare team, long after he has gone home.

"These guys are really conscientious. They really take care of the patient," says Mr. Fowler, who receives a weekly call from Ms. McMurtry to check on his blood sugar. "There's no shoving and pushing to get you in and out fast. I feel very well taken care of."

The cooperative nurse acts as a liaison between a patient and doctor so the patient understands what the doctor's orders really meant. "This helps you make sure nothing falls through the cracks," says Ms. McMurtry.

That includes everything from arranging doctor appointments when a patient needs same-day attention to follow-up calls offering a review of the patient's healthcare plan to helping arrange transportation to a clinic or hospital.

Tailoring care to each person's individual needs allows our patients to work alongside their doctors in improving and maintaining their health.

"We are helping the patient to take an active role in their health care," says Marylou Buyse, M.D., chief medical officer of Scott & White's Health Plan. "This is all about empowering the patient."

In Mr. Fowler's case, "They dogged the heck out of me to lose weight," he says. And he attributes his success to the Team and Ms. McMurtry. "She has been the one push factor," he says. "I finally gave in, and she was right."