The Health Plan Recognizes Its Top Physicians, Clinics and Medical Groups
LOS ANGELES – The country was already struggling with a growing physician shortage when COVID-19 hit, leading to a spike in physician burnout. L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, understands the challenges physicians face and will acknowledge its appreciation at its fifth annual Provider Recognition Awards. The health plan is honoring providers who offer high quality care to L.A. Care members, who are among the most vulnerable residents in Los Angeles County.
“This is the fifth year that L.A. Care is recognizing the top practitioners, clinics, and medical groups or independent physician associations (IPA) serving L.A. Care’s Medi-Cal members,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “We are grateful for the commitment these top providers have shown through some very challenging times during the COVID-19 emergency. Like L.A. Care, they are dedicated to providing our members the very best care.”
Dr. Reyadh Michail received the award for Top Performing Practitioner in L.A. Care’s Direct Network, those providers who contract directly with L.A. Care, rather than through an IPA. Dr. Michail was among the providers who went above and beyond during the pandemic.
“I was responsive and available 24-7. COVID was a big problem, but we don’t run away from problems, we go toward them and try our best and we succeed,” said Dr. Michail. “I would even see my geriatric patients in the hospital when doctors were stretched thin. It’s my job to provide excellent care for my patients, and L.A. Care has been very good at working with physicians.”
San Fernando Community Health Center (SFCHC) actually received top honors in two categories. It was the Top Performing Clinic for both women’s care and pediatric care.
“The Directors of our Pediatric and Women’s Health departments have made tremendous quality improvements that have resulted in better health outcomes for our patients,” said Audrey Simons, CEO of San Fernando Community Health Center. “We have doubled our two-year child immunization rate since 2018, and recently we added vaccine walk-in hours. We have also had great success in getting prenatal patients into care early to promote optimal health outcomes for mother and child. We are proud of these accomplishments and more, and are happy to know they are being recognized.”
In all, L.A. Care is announcing 13 awards.
The 2022 Top Performing Practitioner awardees are:
• Reyahd Michail, MD – L.A. Care Direct Network
• Helen Koo, MD – Pediatric Care
• Robert Azurin, MD – Women’s Care
• Khai Tran, DO – Chronic Care
The 2022 Top Performing Clinic awardees are:
• San Fernando Community Health Center – Pediatric and Women’s Care
• Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. – Chronic Care
The 2022 Top Performing Independent Physician Association (IPA) awardees are:
• Providence/Axminster Medical Group – L.A. Care’s Medi-Cal product, large group
• Southland San Gabriel Valley Medical Group – L.A. Care’s Medi-Cal product, small group
• South Atlantic Medical Group IPA – L.A. Care’s Cal MediConnect product
• Family Care Specialists Medical Corporation – L.A. Care’s L.A. Care Covered product
These awardees are chosen based on an internal performance rating system used by L.A. Care to determine quality of care being provided.
This is the second year that L.A. Care is also announcing health equity awards.
The 2022 Health Equity awardees are:
• St. John’s Community Health – Clinic
• Healthy New Life Medical Corporation – Independent Physician association
All awardees will be honored at a dinner and with a congratulatory billboard near their workplaces.