What Does this Mean for Choptank Medicare Patients?

The Choptank Health team is dedicated to helping you beyond your regular appointments with your provider. We understand that different things can make it hard for you to take care of your health. That’s why we’re here to support you in every way we can.

Here’s how we can help you take care of yourself:

Addressing things that affect your health.

We want to understand what may be stopping you from being healthy. Whether it’s not having enough food, trouble with rent or getting to appointments, we’re here to help and connect you with community resources. Our goal is to assist in decreasing these barriers so you can focus on your health.

Promoting healthy habits.

If you’re having trouble with things like eating healthy, exercising, or managing stress, our team can guide you. We have resources to teach you about healthy diets for conditions like diabetes or high cholesterol. We can also show you exercises you can do at home.

Making medicine easier.

Consistently taking your medicine can be hard. That’s why we have resources that can help.
We can connect you with a pharmacist to identify lower cost options or better understand what medicines you take and get you pill packs so you can better remember to take them.

Nurse Advice Line 1-844-901-3747

An accredited nurse advice line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help you assess symptoms and help you decide if you should call your doctor, head to the ER or urgent care or treat your concerns at home. It’s peace of mind at no cost to you.

If you’ve been in the hospital, our team is here to help you recover by:

Checking in with you.

Within 48 hours of leaving the hospital, we’ll call you. We’ll help you make follow-up appointments, organize your medicine, and set up visits with specialists if needed. We want to make sure your transition back to regular care goes smoothly.

Supporting you along the way.

We won’t forget about you after you leave the hospital. We’ll stay in touch at 7, 14, and 30 days to see how you’re doing and offer any help you might need.

At Choptank Health, we want you to be as healthy as you can be. By working with the Maryland Primary Care Program, we can give you personalized care and help you overcome any challenges. If you have questions or want more information, our caring and friendly staff is here for you.

Information on Patient Experience Survey

Choptank Health is working with DataStat, a third-party survey vendor, to conduct patient experience surveys to help improve healthcare quality, with patients encouraged to complete the survey if they receive one. 

Questions About the Survey

Who is conducting this survey? Who is sponsoring this survey?

Choptank Health is participating in the Maryland Primary Care Program (MDPCP). MDPCP is sponsoring this survey on behalf of our practice. MDPCP has contracted with The Lewin Group, and its subcontractor DataStat, an independent survey research organization in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to conduct the survey.

What is the purpose of the survey? How will the data be used?

The survey is designed to collect information on patients’ experiences of the care and services provided by their providers. It will help our practice improve the quality of care we provide.

What does CAHPS® stand for?

CAHPS® stands for the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems program. The program is managed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the lead Federal agency charged with improving the quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of health care for all Americans. They make survey tools available to health plans, doctors and hospitals to collect information about the healthcare and services people receive and to improve the quality of healthcare.

Are my answers confidential? Who will see my answers?

Your answers will be seen by the research staff and will be combined with answers from other surveys to make a statistical report. Your provider will not receive your individual responses, nor will any response be attached to your name during the study.

What happens to my answers?

Your individual responses will be combined with the responses given by other patients who are in the same practice and a summary will be made available to the practice. Your answers will not be attached to your name, in order to protect your privacy and the confidentiality of your responses.

How long will this take?

The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete.

What questions will be asked?

The survey asks questions about the experiences you had receiving care and services at our practice. There will be questions asking you about any problems you may have had receiving care or services. It asks you to rate different types of care and services you may have received.

How did DataStat get my name? How was I chosen for the survey?

Your name was randomly selected from a list of all patients who visited our practice in the last 6 months. We did not share any information about your personal medical history with DataStat.

I am confused by the term ‘provider’.

For the purposes of this survey, the term “provider” refers only to the provider or providers you saw at our practice in the last 6 months. It does not refer to any health plan from which you receive benefits or to any other practice group from which you or other family member obtain health care services.

I am no longer a patient of practice listed.

If you have been seen at the practice listed on the letter and survey in the last 6 months., you should fill in the circle next to ‘Yes” for Question 1 and continue filling out the rest of the survey. If no, you should fill in the circle next to 'No' for Question 1 and continue filling out the rest of the survey following the skip instructions.

I am not a patient at the practice listed on the survey/letter, but another family member is.

The person whose name is on the letter should fill out the survey. If the person named was not a patient of the practice within the last 6 months, please fill in the circle next to 'No' for Question 1 and follow the remaining instructions.

This is not the practice I normally go to, or the provider that I normally see.

You may still complete the survey even if this is not the practice you normally go to or the provider you normally see. The intent of this survey is to gather information about your experience with the named practice only, so please keep this practice in mind asyou answer the survey questions.

Is the survey for me or (my spouse)?

The survey is for the person whose name is on the letter.

Can someone else complete the survey on behalf of the patient?

The survey is designed to be completed by the patient. We prefer the survey be completed by the patient, but another person may complete the survey for the patient if it is not possible for the patient to do it.

My spouse didn’t get a survey, but wants to fill one out.

Survey recipients were randomly selected, and only those who were selected may participate. Random selection of participants helps to ensure confidentiality and ensures we hear opinions from all kinds of people.

Is the survey available in Spanish?

Yes. To request materials in Spanish, please contact DataStat at 1-888-248-4716.

Is the survey available in languages other than English or Spanish?

This survey has not been translated into any other languages.

Is there a deadline to fill out the survey?

Since we need to contact so many people, please complete and return the survey using the postage-paid envelope provided within the next few days.

Where do I put my name and address on the survey?

You should not write your name or address on the survey. Each survey has been assigned an identification number that allows DataStat to track which respondents have returned a completed survey. The names and addresses are stored separately from the answers to the survey questions, so that your answers are not associated with your name.

My spouse/family member is deceased. What should I do with the survey?

We’re very sorry for your loss. Please contact your family member’s Choptank Health provider, who will contact DataStat to update their records. See our locations and contact information here.

Why does the survey keep asking the same questions over and over?

We apologize if the questions seem repetitive, but the survey is designed to ask specific questions in a certain order, to ensure that your responses can be compared to the responses of other patients.

Concerns about Participating in the Survey

I am concerned about my privacy.

We did not share any information about your personal medical history with the survey vendor.

The survey vendor abides by HIPAA regulations. Your name and address will be kept absolutely confidential and will not be seen by anyone other than the research staff.

Your answers will be seen by the research staff and will be combined with answers from other surveys to make a statistical report. Your provider will not receive your individual responses, nor will any response be attached to your name during the study.

I don’t do surveys.

We understand, however we hope you will consider participating. This is a very important study for our practice. The results of the survey will help us understand what we are doing well and what needs improvement. I’m not interested.

I'm extremely busy. I don't really have the time.

We know your time is limited; however, it is a very important survey, and we would appreciate your help. The survey will only take about 10 minutes to complete.

I don’t want to answer a lot of personal questions.

We understand your concern. This is a very important survey. If a particular question bothers you, you may just skip it.

I’m very unhappy with your practice. I don’t see why I should help you with this survey.

We are very sorry you’re unhappy. This is a good reason for you to participate. Your responses will help our practice understand what improvements are needed.

Do I have to complete the survey? What happens if I do not? Why should I?

Your participation is voluntary. There are no penalties for not participating. However, it is a very important survey, and your answers will help to improve the quality of care we provide.

I don’t want to buy anything.

We’re not selling anything or asking for money. We want to ask you some questions about the care and services provided by our practice.

Will I get junk mail if I answer this survey?

No, you will not get any junk mail. Your name and address, email and telephone number will be kept absolutely confidential and will not be seen by anyone other than the research staff.

Web Survey Questions

How do I access the web survey?

The web version of this survey can be accessed at www.datastat.com/Maryland.

In order to log into the web survey, you will need the username printed in bold on the front side of the letter that was mailed to you or included in the email sent to you. The username is eight characters long, is a mix of letters and numbers, and is not case sensitive (you can enter the letters either in lower or uppercase)

Where do I place my username?

1. If you follow the link provided on your letter, you will be given the option to choose your language. Do that and continue.

2. On the next page, there should be a place to enter a username. Your username is printed in bold on your letter or email. I lost my username/password.

Can you give me a new one?

To request assistance, please contact DataStat at 1-888-248-4716.

The web site won’t accept my password.

Passwords are case-sensitive and must be typed exactly as you created them.

If you are creating a password for the first time and seeing the message, ‘The password you entered is invalid or does not match’: The password must be at least 6 characters and no more than 15 characters. It is case-sensitive, so please make sure you are using the same lowercase and uppercase letters when entering and confirming the password. You can use letters, numbers, and all of the special characters listed on the screen. I can't access the web survey.

The website is slow.

Hundreds of people like yourself may be trying to access the website at the same time. Please wait a few seconds and then enter your response again.

I’m having technical issues with the web survey/I received a text message with a link for a survey.

This survey is sponsored by CMS and for our practice. The link is legitimate, and you may feel safe clicking on it. However, if you still have concerns you may complete the survey via mail, using the mailed survey you received around March, or using the QR code or URL on those materials.

Will this survey cost me text fees?

Your cellular carrier may charge you the standard messaging and data rates for sending and receiving SMS / MMS with your plan or service. Today, most cellular plans offer unlimited texting & data, so this is not normally an issue.There should be a HELP button on the upper left-hand side of the screen. That will list some common problems and solutions to technical issues.

I received an error message.

In the unusual event that you receive an error message, the server may be busy so please wait 60 seconds and then press the browser's REFRESH button to continue.

If you do not answer all of the questions on a page, a pop-up box with a warning message will appear. Click on OK to close the box, and the unanswered question(s) will appear in red. You may answer the question(s) and continue, or if you don't want to answer the question(s), click on the NEXT button at the bottom of the page.

I'm having issues viewing the survey questions and/or response choices.

1. If the web page hasn't loaded fully, click on the browser's REFRESH button at the top of the screen under the menu bar.

2. Try closing down some of the other applications that are currently open on your computer.

3. You may have an older version of your internet browser. Try upgrading your web browser to the latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome.

4. To navigate up and down the survey, move the scroll bar at the right side of your browser window using a mouse, or press the UP and DOWN arrow keys, or the PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys using your keyboard.

5. If your browser screen isn't big enough, (i.e., the left/right edges of the questions are getting cut off), maximize your browser window, move the scroll bar at the bottom of your browser window using a mouse, or press the LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys using your keyboard.

How secure is this web survey?

DataStat runs a secure website for this study. This means that when you answer the questions in this survey, each response is encrypted before it is sent to DataStat and therefore cannot be viewed by anybody else on the Web.

I want to finish the rest of this web survey later.

If you are unable to complete the survey in one sitting, you can click on the Finish Later button to finish answering the rest of the questions at a later time. Please save the password you created and the instructions you received for accessing the web survey.

I don’t want to click on a survey link. Is it safe?

This survey is sponsored by CMS and for our practice. The link is legitimate, and you may feel safe clicking on it. However, if you still have concerns you may type the Internet Address into your browser instead.

Telephone/SMS Questions

I received a text message with a link for a survey.

This survey is sponsored by CMS and for our practice. The link is legitimate, and you may feel safe clicking on it. However, if you still have concerns you may complete the survey via mail, using the mailed survey you received around March, or using the QR code or URL on those materials.

Will this survey cost me text fees?

Your cellular carrier may charge you the standard messaging and data rates for sending and receiving SMS / MMS with your plan or service. Today, most cellular plans offer unlimited texting & data, so this is not normally an issue.

More Information About The Survey

For more information about the survey, please reach out to the MDPCP at MarylandModel@cms.hhs.gov or call 1-844-711-2664, Option 7

One of the Services Available to Choptank Health’s Maryland Primary Care Program Patients is RX Live.

RxLive is a personalized telehealth service that connects Choptank Health patients and expert clinical pharmacists in a secure, private, and convenient way.

Patients will learn ways to make their medication regimen more efficient and effective, save money, and avoid side effects and potential medication interactions. 

If your provider thinks this service would be helpful to you, the RxLive team may contact you via mail, phone, or text.

You can make an appointment with an RxLive clinical pharmacist by calling 1-866-234-4974 or by clicking here.

Please take a minute to watch this video on what you need to know before your appointment: What to expect ahead of your RxLive appointment

Giving Extra Support to Help You Receive Better Care

Through MDPCP, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Choptank Health has additional resources to help manage the care of our patients. 

Additional Information for Traditional Medicare (Part A and Part B) Beneficiaries

To help us provide you with the best care, Medicare will start sharing some of your personal health information with us and the State Designated Health Information Exchange (CRISP), to share with other health professionals providing care to you. This will provide us with a more complete picture of your health and allow us to better coordinate your care.

Your Medicare benefits ARE NOT changing. Enhanced services covered by this program will not require additional cost-sharing for you. You still have the right to use or visit any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare, at any time. Your doctor may continue to recommend that you see particular doctors for your specific health needs, but it’s always your choice which doctors or hospital(s) you visit.

Data Sharing Opt-Out

If you want Medicare to stop sharing this personal health information, please contact 1-844-711-2664, Option 7. 

A Health Information Exchange, or HIE, is a way of sharing your health information among participating doctors’ offices, hospitals, care coordinators, labs, radiology centers, and other healthcare providers through secure, electronic means.

The purpose is so that each of your participating healthcare providers can have the benefit of the most recent information available from your other participating providers when taking care of you.

If you choose to opt out of participation in the HIE, doctors and nurses will not be able to search for your health information through the HIE to use while treating you.

Your physician or other treating providers will still be able to select the HIE as a way to receive your lab results, radiology reports, and other data sent directly to them that they may have previously received by fax, mail, or other electronic communications.

Additionally, in accordance with the law, Public health reporting, such as the reporting of infectious diseases to public health officials, will still occur through the HIE after you decide to opt-out.

Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) information, as part of the Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, will continue to be available through the HIE to licensed providers. If you want to opt, please visit https://crisphealth.org/for-patients-your-rights/

Questions?

If you have questions or concerns, you can call Choptank Community Health at 410- 479-4306 or bring it up next time you’re in the office for an appointment.

Let’s work together to help you achieve your best health!