The Health Plan Is Hosting Its 6th Provider Recognition Awards,
Adding Additional Health Equity Awards This Year
LOS ANGELES – L.A. Care Health Plan, the largest publicly operated plan in the country, today announced its top solo practitioners, clinics, and medical groups, also known as independent physicians associations (IPA). The health plan is honoring these providers who offer high quality care to L.A. Care members, among the most vulnerable residents in Los Angeles County. L.A. Care also recognized select providers and community-based organizations working to advance health equity in Los Angeles County.
“L.A. Care is grateful to all of the providers and organizations who have shown their commitment to providing the quality care and services that help keep our members as healthy as possible,” said John Baackes, L.A. Care CEO. “We know that many providers are still suffering from burnout after coming out of the challenges of the pandemic. The awardees we announced today have shown an outstanding resilience and dedications to their patients.”
Dr. Salman A. Khan received the award for Top Performing Practitioner in L.A. Care’s Direct Network, those providers who contract directly with L.A. Care, rather than through an IPA. Dr. Kahn credits his team and good communication for his ability to get patients to follow through on their health care needs.
“It’s important to understand and be sensitive to the cultural background of our patients – their beliefs, their values – and once they gain your trust, you can help them understand the disease process and compliance is improved,” said Khan. “I feel truly rewarded when my patients leave the office with a big smile, feeling better, and they say thank you. That is priceless.”
Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. (APHCV) received the award for Top Performing Clinic in Pediatric Care. APHCV is a repeat winner, having received the 2022 Top Performing Clinic in Chronic Care last year, the 2020 Top Performing Clinic in Women’s and Pediatric Care, and the 2018 and 2019 Top Performing Clinic award.
“We have been able to maintain our success because we engage all departments in our organization – from the providers, nursing staff, enrollment staff, call center, medical interpreters, care managers, and performance improvement staff, just to name a few. Literally, everyone has a role in helping achieving high quality of care,” said Kazue Shibata, APHCV CEO. “The key is to find a joy and curiosity in finding where we can improve, and using various activities to strengthen our team. By doing that consistently, we create the culture of excellence.”
In all, L.A. Care announced 16 awards.
The 2023 Top Performing Practitioner awardees are:
• Salman A. Khan, MD – L.A. Care Direct Network
• Eva Chan, MD – Pediatric Care
• Robert Azurin, MD – Women’s Care
• Mona Shah, MD – Chronic Care
The 2023 Top Performing Clinic awardees are:
• Asian Pacific Health Care Venture, Inc. – Pediatric Care
• Universal Community Health Center – Women’s Care
• CSC Health (formerly known as Chinatown Service Center) – Chronic Care
The 2023 Top Performing Independent Physician Association (IPA) awardees are:
• Providence/Axminster Medical Group – L.A. Care’s Medi-Cal product, large group
• Karing Physicians Medical Group – L.A. Care’s Medi-Cal product, small group
• Prospect Medical Group – L.A. Care’s L.A. Care Covered product
• Prospect Medical Group – L.A. Care’s Cal MediConnect product
These awardees are chosen based on an internal performance rating system used by L.A. Care to determine quality of care being provided. The ratings for these awardees were based on 2022 performance.
This year, the health plan has added some new categories to its list of health equity awardees, awarding providers and community-based organizations who have excelled in various projects after receiving an L.A. Care grant. These include organizations who advocated for tenant’s rights, increased vaccinations in vulnerable communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressed student and family health care needs at a school-based health center, and worked to improve infant and maternal mortality rates.
The 2023 Health Equity awardees are:
• Inquilinos Unidos – Community Health Investment Fund Award
• Northeast Valley Health Corporation – Roland Palencia Safety Net Award
• Los Angeles Christian Health Centers – Roland Palencia Safety Net Award
• St. John’s Community Health – School-Based Health Centers Award
• Los Angeles County African American Infant and Maternal Mortality Prevention Initiative – Maternal and Child Health Award
All awardees will be honored at a dinner and with a congratulatory billboard near their workplaces. The celebration will also include a social media campaign and webpage recognizing all of the awardees.