Dr. Joel Silverberg and Baton Rouge Clinic CEO Ed Silvey celebrate the Clinic’s inclusion in the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
The Baton Rouge Clinic has established itself as a national health care leader with multiple honors for its operations and quality of patient care.
The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) has named the Clinic one of its “16 Better Performing Medical Practices” in the country every year since 1997. In fact, the MGMA bestowed its “Distinguished Practice” award on the Clinic in 2008, for receiving the Better Performing award for so many consecutive years.
In 2015, The Baton Rouge Clinic received accolades from the National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Diabetes Recognition and Heart/Stroke Recognition programs for providing quality care for patients with those conditions. The honors go to medical practices who use the best science and evidence-based care for patients. In the fourth quarter of that same year, the Clinic received an extremely rare perfect score on the Humana Quality Metrics. In 2016, Clinic physicians scored a 97.3% on a Percy and Associates patient satisfaction survey, a number that surpassed the national average.
“We don’t do things for recognition, but it’s certainly nice to have our work acknowledged,” said Dr. Joel Silverberg, an Endocrinologist with the Clinic. “We put a ton of effort into the quality of care we provide and the partnerships we have with hospitals and insurance companies. We strive to be good stewards of health care dollars and it’s always nice to have our efforts validated.”
Dr. Everett Bonner, a breast surgeon with The Baton Rouge Clinic, said the awards are an indication of how Clinic physicians stay up-to-date with the latest developments, including new medications and procedures that have been proven to be safe and effective.
“All of our physicians are about providing the best care while adjusting with the times and the new technology that becomes available,” he said. “To me, that’s about living up to our motto of ‘Caring for Generations.’ We pride ourselves on caring for children, parents and grandparents. To see that recognized with awards and reviews from patients makes us feel like we are doing a good job.”
Katy Meyers, the Clinic’s Vice President of Patient Access and Communication, said the national recognitions are especially meaningful because The Baton Rouge Clinic is often in the same categories as large hospital systems.
“We’re extremely proud anytime we receive recognition,” she said. “The reason we are here is to provide the highest level of quality care to our community. Therefore, any time we receive an award that is centered on patient care, it’s an honor. But the best recognition comes from the patients who have entrusted their healthcare needs to the Baton Rouge Clinic for 75 years.”
The Clinic has also been recognized as a statewide leader in health care. In 2000, the Clinic was named the “Benchmark for the State” in ambulatory care by the Louisiana Healthcare Review, a quality improvement organization that monitors care to Medicare patients. The Clinic received the honor for surpassing state and national immunization averages for influenza and pneumonia, as well the number of mammograms and diabetes screenings for the elderly.
In addition, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana presented the Clinic with its Highest Overall Performance Award in their Quality Blue Primary Care Program in 2014, for its work with patients with high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
“It just solidifies that we are doing an excellent job caring for our patients,” Dr. Bonner said. “It’s nice to get awards, but it’s the patients who really benefit because it shows we are giving the highest possible quality care.”
Dr. Silverberg said the recognitions are not only morale boosters, but also strong indicators of the Clinic’s leadership and expertise. He said that has helped lend credence to Clinic physicians and staff as they work with others in the medical community and elected officials to address health care issues such as COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and health disparities in the community.
“We were able to get some real tangible results by being part of a community-wide strategy on how to care for people during what was a very scary time,” Dr. Silverberg said. “To me, that has been even more gratifying than awards. We were able to get resources by working with our Senators and the state while forgetting about politics. That ultimately has resulted in better care for patients, which is always the main goal.”
Dr. Bonner has noticed similar impacts. He works closely with some of the country’s leading breast cancer treatment organizations and noted that other Clinic physicians hold similar positions within their specialties.
“All of these things are great because they are a part of keeping Baton Rouge a healthy community,” he said. “We’re proud of our involvement because it shows that not only do we have excellent doctors here, but we are also leaders in the community.”
One of The Baton Rouge Clinic’s most prestigious recognitions to date came in 2020, when it became the first physician practice not affiliated with a hospital system to be asked to join the Mayo Clinic Care Network. The collaboration allows The Baton Rouge Clinic and its local physicians to have direct access to the Mayo Clinic’s internationally-recognized health care expertise.
“It’s a very rigorous selection process, so I think it’s one of the things we are all proudest of,” Dr. Bonner said. “We’re the first independent, multi-specialty clinic chosen to be a part of their network. They consider our doctors to be a part of the Mayo Clinic, so we’re able to consult with them in a collaborative way. It’s a big honor for Baton Rouge and a huge asset to the community to be able to have those kinds of resources so readily available.”
To read more Baton Rouge Clinic Anniversary Stories by The Advocate, please click here.