Preventive service utilization in older adults: Follow-up results of a quality improvement project

This fourth an final article in a series completes the description of a qua lity improvement study to increase the receipt of preventive services (infl uenza vaccinations, pneumococcal vaccination, fecal occult blood testing, f lexible sigmoidoscopy, and mammography) for a group of older adults enrolle d in a risk-based Medicare managed care plan. After an intervention strateg y, including audit and feedback of physician performance data and promotion of the preventive service reminder checklist to primary care physicians, a medical record audit revealed a statistically significant increase in flex ible sigmoidoscopy rates only, but a strong association between utilization of the preventive service reminder checklist and provision of other preven tive services. The study demonstrates continuing opportunities for improvem ent in utilization of preventive services and emphasizes the usefulness of preventive service reminder checklist.