Naval Branch Health Clinic (NBHC) Kings Bay now offers a low back pain team, as part of a value-based care pilot program initiated at Naval Hospital (NH) Jacksonville Oct. 1, 2016.

"The innovative, value-based strategy focuses on the results that matter most to patients: feeling healthy, being able to do daily activities, and fulfilling life roles like work and family," said Cmdr. Laura Deaton, NBHC Kings Bay officer-in-charge.

The value approach organizes care around patients with similar needs and medical conditions. NBHC Kings Bay has developed a multidisciplinary team (called an integrated practice unit or IPU), for low back pain.

Value-based care focuses on doing what's right for patients, in ways convenient and acceptable to them. The goal is improved patient outcomes, increased readiness, higher patient satisfaction, and improved value with optimal resource utilization.

The low back pain IPU consists of a dedicated team of providers who are focused on that condition. The team is responsible for the full cycle of care - outpatient, inpatient, and support services. The team uses evidence-based strategies to monitor treatment and enable patients to reach their health goals. The low back pain team includes a physician, physical therapist, physical therapy technicians, and a behavioral health specialist.

IPU patients can expect to see personalized care plans that include their unique goals, individual and group appointments with the team, fewer appointments in general (to save patients' time), and enhanced communication.

In addition to the common quality measures physicians use, like procedure success rates, the clinic will also track patients' reports over time, of how well they're able to do daily activities.

Patients enrolled in the IPU also remain part of their Medical Home Port team. This includes access to the appointment line (912-573-6450); 24/7 Nurse Advice Line (800-TRICARE / 800-874-2273); access to a wide range of online services (including emailing the doctor) with TRICARE Online Patient Portal Secure Messaging (www.TRICAREonline.com or https://mil.RelayHealth.com); TRICARE pharmacy home delivery (www.TRICARE.mil/homedelivery); and customer relations
(912-573-3327), to help improve the care experience.

The low back pain IPU is currently enrolling patients at greatest risk of developing chronic pain, who can gain the greatest benefit from the value-based approach. To learn more, patients can speak with their primary care manager, or call the clinic's appointment line at 912-573-6450.

NBHC Kings Bay is one of NH Jacksonville's six health care facilities located across Florida and Georgia. NH Jacksonville's priority since its founding in 1941 is to heal the nation's heroes and their families. The command is comprised of the Navy's third largest hospital and five branch health clinics across Florida and Georgia. Of its patient population (163,000 active and retired Sailors, Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, Guardsmen, and their families), about 85,000 are enrolled with a primary care manager and Medical Home Port team at one of its facilities. To find out more or download the command's mobile app, visit www.med.navy.mil/sites/navalhospitaljax.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Hospital Jacksonville, visit www.navy.mil/.