A Flexible Annual Wellness Visit Software to Meet Your Needs

Patients who have had Medicare Part B for more than 12 months and have not had a Welcome to Medicare Visit (IPPE) or AWV in that timeframe are eligible to partake in an AWV. An Annual Wellness Visit is not the same as an annual physical as it does not require a physical exam. The AWV instead includes a self-reported health questionnaire that helps generate a personalized prevention plan. AWVs are free to the patient as they do not require a copayment, while providers are reimbursed for providing the service.

AWVs can be performed at primary care facilities, some speciality practices, and even urgent care clinics. The HRA is completed by the patient, and the remainder of the service can be completed by a variety of healthcare professionals including a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or medical professional working under direct supervision of a physician.

As the shift in healthcare from volume-based care to value-based care continues, the importance of preventative services like AWVs grows significantly. AWVs are a preventative service that identify gaps in care and improve the quality of care that providers deliver.

Medicare requires the place of service code 02 for telehealth, and modifier 95.

Training will begin once your hardware has arrived onsite. Multiple, 45-min training sessions will be held via video conferencing based on each role in the organization. Staff will be required to follow along with the trainer on the tablet and web application. "Office Hours" with the trainer will be available to staff for two weeks after training to answer any questions about workflow, technology, or other content.

In office, the patient will be handed a tablet to complete the HRA. If an AWV is done remotely, a member of the clinical staff will have to read the questions to the patient and complete the HRA with the patient. A remote AWV requires the use of an interactive audio and video telecommunications system that permits real-time communication.

If you are seeing well visits in your office, then it is perfectly safe to conduct an AWV in the office. Of course always use your best judgment and sanitize the tablet regularly.

The Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is a questionnaire that is used to identify a patient's risk factors. Providers can then use the risk factors to deliver personalized healthcare plans that avoid functional decline and other health problems.

The AWV includes a Health Risk Assessment that gathers information about the patient's medical and family history, their current health risks that need monitoring, and vitals. Then, the provider uses the information in the HRA to provide the patient with a personalized care plan to reduce further risk.

You can read over our article, Medicare Annual Wellness Visit vs. Annual Physical, to learn more about the key differences.

As of April 30th, 2020, AWV falls under the list of acceptable Medicare telehealth services.