‘IT’S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS’
The new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Pediatric Clinic serves northern Michigan’s most vulnerable patient population.
For years, northern Michigan families have sacrificed to get their
children subspecialty care, scraping up enough gas money and
time off work for the trip to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
in Grand Rapids.
Helen DeVos
Children’s Hospital
Pediatric Clinics in
Traverse City
Thanks to decades of physician efforts and recent hospital
collaboration, those long-distance trips are no more.
1105 Sixth Street
•Fetal and Pediatric
Cardiology
The Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Pediatric Clinic on W.
Front St., a joint effort between the children’s hospital, Spectrum
Health Medical Group, and Munson Medical Center, is now open
with the following pediatric services:
• Pediatric Orthopedics
• Pediatric Gastroenterology
Robert Sprunk, MD
• Pediatric Nephrology
5024 N. Royal Drive
•Pediatric Endocrinology
• Pediatric Neurosurgery
Championed by pediatrician Robert Sprunk, MD, and pediatric
orthopedic surgeon Michael Forness, DO, the clinic not only puts
the services under one roof for more days a month, but also
augments subspecialty care that is already available, such as
hematology/oncology, endocrinology, and cardiology.
3537 W. Front Street, Ste. H
•Pediatric Gastroenterology
•Pediatric Nephrology
•Pediatric Neurosurgery
•Pediatric Orthopedics
The clinic is the fruition of many years’ worth of hard work, said
Dr. Sprunk, whose office is one of four pediatric practices in
Traverse City.
“This has been a culmination of relationship building and many
conversations through the years,” said Dr. Sprunk, who opened
his practice in 1979. “We are echoing an idea started in the
1930s by Dr. Mark Osterlin, who envisioned Traverse City as a
regional center providing for the needs of children.”
1200 Sixth Street
•Pediatric Hematology/
Oncology
Future Clinics:
•Pediatric Neurology
•Pediatric Urology
Michael Forness, DO
As the first specialist at Munson, Osterlin – also a pediatric physician – founded the predecessors to
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services and Child & Family Services of Northwestern Michigan.
“So we’re building on that,” Dr. Sprunk said. “It’s a pretty cool legacy.”
Dr. Mike Forness, who practiced in Traverse City for 14 years before leaving in 2004 to set up pediatric
orthopedic services at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, is expanding the current orthopaedic clinic
Insurances accepted:
Most but call to confirm.
How to Make a Referral:
Call Helen DeVos Children’s
Hospital to schedule.
For more details, including
schedules and phone
numbers, see enclosed flyer.
Continued on page 2
Pediatric Specialty Clinics Available in Northern Michigan
Several pediatric specialty clinics are available in Northern Michigan. A listing of the Helen DeVos Traverse City clinics and
calendar, as well as a complete listing of all Northern Michigan pediatric clinics, are inserted in this issue of Practice Pro.
The listing of all pediatric specialty clinics in the region, is also available online at munsonhealthcare.org/pediatricclinics.
munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians
Page 1 | Practice Pro | June/July 2014
PHYSICIAN APPOINTMENT, REAPPOINTMENT PROCESS GOES ONLINE
With the new process, physicians will receive an email
invitation to the Physician
Home Page. A second email
“New physician appointments
will contain a password to
“Our centralized process
and physician reappointallow access to the home page.
includes several Munson
ments will all be done online
McKinley said the ultimate
electronically starting in July,” Healthcare facilities who
goal is to have a physician
said Kim McKinley, manager participate at various levels,”
of Medical Staff Services. “We McKinley said. Those facilities apply for reappointment one
hope to process the first group include Munson Medical Cen- time, every two years, for all
ter, Kalkaska Memorial Health Munson Healthcare facilities.
of reappointments and new
Center, Mercy Hospital Cadil- “They will just have to go into
appointments then.”
lac, Mercy Hospital Grayling, one website, one time, and
Reappointment is required
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospi- complete the information for
by regulatory agencies such
as the Joint Commission and tal, West Shore Medical Cen- each facility,” McKinley said.
ter, the Grand Traverse Band,
Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services and occurs and the Northwest Michigan
Surgery Center.
appointment and reappointment process for physician
membership and privileges.
Kim McKinley,
Manager of Medical Staff Services
Medical Staff Services is
transitioning to an all online
every two years. Munson
Healthcare hospitals process
their reappointments by section/specialty.
GERIATRIC ASSESSMENT CLINIC TO CLOSE
Munson Medical Center’s
Geriatric Assessment
Clinic will be closing at
the end of September. This
multidisciplinary clinic
has assisted primary care
providers in managing
complex elderly patients.
While it has been beneficial
to providers, patients, and
families to have one place to
call for assistance, hospitals
are reevaluating their
services to ensure they align
with long-term needs and
sustainability in our changing
health care environment.
Many patients seen at the
Geriatric Assessment Clinic
already have a primary
care provider. Patients can
continue to see their existing
primary care provider, who
will oversee their care and
refer them to appropriate
resources available through
Munson Medical Center
or in the community. A
list of available services
will be posted online at
munsonhealthcare.org/
seniorresources by July
31. These will include how
best to refer to a variety of
resources, such as a social
worker, neurologist, and
neuropsych testing. Those
who do not have a primary
care provider can contact
Munson HealthLink at
1-800-533-5520.
We are working to ensure
all patients know what is
happening and have a smooth
transition back to their
primary care provider or find
an available provider. All
current patients and those on
the waiting list will receive a
letter explaining the closure.
If your patients have
questions about this change,
please have them call
Munson’s Patient Liaison
at (231) 935-5051. The last
day the clinic will be seeing
patients is Sept. 24, 2014.
‘IT’S ALL ABOUT THE KIDS’ Continued from page 1
hours and moving into the new facility. He is one of numerous providers who will be
serving patients from Traverse City and all counties north into the Upper Peninsula.
Having the additional clinics here makes the pediatric care “more seamless,”
Dr. Forness said.
“We’ve had a lot of kids who have had to wait until the paycheck came on the first of the
month before they could come down [to DeVos,]” said Dr. Forness, who would sometimes
have to see kids once a week for casting. “In reality, the clinic is not about the doctors or
the hospitals. It’s about the kids in northern Michigan.”
To make a referral into the clinic, Dr. Forness said, “The simplest way is to do it through
Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; same with patients who call in. They just need to say
they want to be seen in the Traverse City clinic.”
Page 2 | Practice Pro | June/July 2014
munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians
NEW CT SCANNERS OFFER LOWER DOSES OF RADIATION
Munson Medical Center now offers three low-dose CT scan
machines that provide a safer experience for patients and more
succinct images for radiologists.
The Toshiba Aquilion® ONE devices combine software and
technology advances to ensure an individualized dose of radiation is applied based on the need of the patient.
“The primary benefit for patients is a significant reduction of
radiation dose. This is achieved primarily by advancements
in post processing computer algorithms, but also by some
hardware upgrades,” said C. Paul Williams, MD, a radiologist
at the hospital. “For some of the higher dose procedures, like
abdomen and pelvic CT, dose reduction up to 60 percent is
possible. For the truly high dose procedure of cardiac CTA,
dose reductions of greater than 90 percent are possible. The
increase in detector rows allows studies to be completed much
more rapidly, reducing breath hold requirements and minimizing actual scan times.”
The machines offer head-to-toe dynamic imaging that can
capture an entire organ in a single moment of time. Machine
capabilities also can provide physicians with a three-dimensional depiction of an organ and how blood flow is occurring
within and without the organ.
The CTs can offer comprehensive exams useful in the treatment of patients with heart conditions, stroke, and cancer.
The Munson Medical Center Radiology Department has both
a 320-slice machine and a 40-slice machine, while the Emergency Department has an 80-slice machine.
All sites throughout Munson Healthcare now have new
Toshiba equipment allowing for consistent protocols among
the hospitals.
Munson Outpatient Services in Elk Rapids
Updating Practice Information
Munson Outpatient Services has expanded to meet the needs of
Elk Rapids residents with new lab space and x-ray capabilities. The
outpatient services is located at 119 Bridge St., Elk Rapids. The Lab
phone number is (231) 264-0024. The Radiology phone number
is (231) 264-0025.
The HealthLink team will be contacting your
practice this summer to update your providers’
information – including insurances, status of
accepting new patients, average wait times,
etc. The information you provide is important
to ensure the most appropriate referrals are
provided to patients and referring providers.
The Elk Rapids Lab is open from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through
Friday. Services include blood draws and other specimen collections.
X-ray services are available without an appointment.
Munson Outpatient Services also can be found in Benzonia, Empire,
Frankfort, Kingsley, Interlochen, and Traverse City. All Munson Outpatient
Services are staffed by Munson Medical Center or Paul Oliver Memorial
Hospital employees.
For questions and to update your practice’s
information year-round, you can contact the
HealthLink team at (231) 935-5886,
1-800-533-5520, or [email protected].
For a complete list of Munson Outpatient Services locations and hours,
go to munsonhealthcare.org/outpatient.
MEANINGFUL USE WEBINARS
At the request of practices, Munson is providing a series of noon webinars on Meaningful Use. Physicians, practice managers,
and staff are invited to attend topics of interest. Past webinars will also be available online to view at your convenience.
Look for more Meaningful Use topics this summer to help practices prepare for Meaningful Use. For upcoming topics, registration links, and recordings of past webinars, go to munsonhealthcare.org/muwebinars.
If you have any Meaningful Use questions, please contact Randi Terry at [email protected] or 935-5199.
munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians
Page 3 | Practice Pro | June/July 2014
SCHEDULING NEWS
Where to Send Patients for STAT Lab Requests
When ordering STAT lab testing, please send your patient to a hospital outpatient lab for specimen collection. Going directly to the hospital
outpatient lab facilitates a faster response time for reporting results.
Locations for STAT lab testing are:
•Kalkaska Memorial Health Center
419 South Coral Street, Kalkaska
Hours: Mon. - Sun., 6:30 am - 11 pm
Phone: (231) 258-7508
•Mercy Hospital Cadillac
400 Hobart Street, Cadillac
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 7 am - 5 pm;
Sat., 7 am - 3 pm
Phone: (231) 876-7295
•Mercy Hospital Grayling
1100 East Michigan Avenue, Grayling
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 7 am - 5 pm;
Sat. 7 am - 3 pm
Phone: (989) 348-0352
•Munson Medical Center, Main Lobby
1105 Sixth Street, Traverse City
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 7 am - 5:30 pm;
Sat., 8 am - 12 pm
Phone: (231) 935-7263
•West Shore Medical Center
1465 East Parkdale Avenue, Manistee
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 7 am - 6 pm;
Sat., 8 am - 12 pm
Phone: (231) 398-1153
•Munson Professional Building
(behind Munson Medical Center)
1221 Sixth Street, Traverse City
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 7 am - 5:30 pm
Phone: (231) 935-6105
•Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital
224 Park Avenue, Frankfort
Hours: Mon. - Fri., 7 am - 9 pm;
Sat. 9 am - 1 pm
Phone: (231) 352-2204
Maps and a complete listing of all lab locations for non-urgent testing can be found
online at munsonhealthcare.org/lablocations.
Outpatient Orders Policy
At the start of 2014, an outpatient orders policy went into effect for Munson
Healthcare hospitals. The policy was developed to meet CMS guidelines, improve
communication among health care providers, and to protect reimbursement for
services performed.
OUTPATIENT ORDERS:
WHAT TO INCLUDE
Thank you for all your hard work in complying with the order policy. Working
together helps improve reimbursement for both the hospital and your practice,
and most important of all, ensures that the patient receives the best care possible.
• Patient’s legal name (must be legible)
After six months of implementing the outpatient orders policy, there are two areas
for improvement:
• Ordering provider’s name (must be legible)
•Diagnoses – We have been receiving orders with no diagnoses/symptoms/reason
for exam noted. If there is no diagnosis present, we need to call your office for the
information before we can provide services to the patient.
•Legibility – We are implementing systems to help us read illegible ordering
provider signatures. You can help by printing or stamping the ordering provider’s
name near the signature. A reminder that a stamp cannot be used for the signature itself.
Both missing diagnoses and illegible signatures can impact the processing of your
patients testing. We appreciate your attentiveness to assuring we have the most
accurate information possible as it allows us to deliver a positive customer experience for your patient.
• Patient’s date of birth
• Patient’s gender
• Ordering provider’s signature (unless it’s an
outpatient laboratory order)
• Date ordered
• Medically necessary diagnosis/symptom as
defined by insurance company
• Prior authorization number (if required)
• Test/exam indicated
• Signs, symptoms, history, and other clinical
indications
For more information on the outpatient orders policy, please contact Karen Popa, Director of Patient Financial Services for Munson Medical
Center, at (231) 935-7493 or [email protected].
Page 4 | Practice Pro | June/July 2014
munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians
SCHEDULING NEWS
CTA Test Name Change
When ordering a CTA CHEST PE PROTOCOL, this now needs to be ordered as a CT CHEST PE PROTOCOL, i.e. drop the A from CTA. The CT
CHEST FOR PE PROTOCOL looks at the arteries and veins. Although clinical staff refers to it as a CTA, it does not meet billing requirements
to be a CTA. In the CPT world, it is a CT.
CTA CHEST PE PROTOCOL  CT CHEST PE PROTOCOL
For offices with an EMR, it is important that this test is updated in your EMR so that they match the new exam name. This is necessary for
interfacing reports electronically. If you have any questions regarding Munson Radiology Services, please contact Dan Fly at (231) 935-7941.
Prior Authorization Update: Blue Care Network
Radiology Services
Blue Care Network (BCN) has contracted with CareCore National, LLC, for prior authorization and medical necessity reviews for outpatient
radiology services including MRI, CT, and Nuclear Scans. BCN will require prior authorization for these services performed on or after July 1,
2014, from CareCore National online at carecorenational.com or by phone at 1-855-774-1317.
If a treating physician does not receive a Medical Necessity Determination and Authorization number from CareCore National prior to
performing radiology procedures, claims may not be reimbursed.
All Other Services
Although Radiology prior authorizations will now be processed by CareCore, all other services continue to be handled by BCN Care
Management at 1-800-392-2512 and ereferrals.bcbsm.com. If you have not be using E-Referral (via Webdenis), we highly recommend
that you sign up as we’ve heard from offices who have been kept on hold for more than 40 minutes, get frustrated, and then hang up.
There is a Prior Authorization Requirements guide, which can be found at munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians > Resources >
Prior Authorizations. The Prior Authorization Requirements guide is a handy reference when scheduling if you’re not sure if a test
requires a prior auth. Schedulers may want to create a shortcut to this resource on their computer desktop.
PWS Passwords To Change July 29
To comply with HIPAA security requirements, Physician Web Scheduler (PWS) users will be prompted to change their password as of
Tuesday, July 29. PWS passwords will now expire every 90 days.
PWS users can now change their password at any time on the PWS Home screen (see graphic below). If you have any PWS questions,
please contact Deb Kimball, Physician Liaison, at (231) 935-3388 or [email protected].
Click here to change password
munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians
Page 5 | Practice Pro | June/July 2014
Please share with your physicians
Cardiovascular Update for Primary Care Providers
Saturday, October 4 | Registration and Breakfast: 7:30; Program: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm | Grand Traverse Resort
The 2nd Annual Cardiovascular Update for Primary Care Providers will provide practical tools and resources for primary care, emergency
medicine, hospital medicine physicians, PA/NPs, and nurses, including the most current developments in the diagnosis, treatment, and
management of cardiovascular disease.
There is no cost to attend. Lunch will be provided. Seminar details will be posted online at:
munsonhealthcare.org/cardiovascularupdate2014.
To register, go to munsonhealthcare.org/cardiovascularupdate2014 or call Munson HealthLink at (231) 935-5886 or 1-800-533-5520.
MUNSON OUTPATIENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC CLOSED TO NEW PSYCHIATRY PATIENTS
Munson Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic is not currently accepting any new outpatient psychiatry referrals. We will continue
to review our capacity and hope to re-open to new referrals in November.
The Munson Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic also has master’s level therapists available to provide comprehensive assessments and treatment for substance use disorders and mental illness. Please continue to refer your patients for those services. We
will continue to coordinate that component of behavioral health care with you.
PHYSICIAN NEWS 
Craig T. Kuesel, DO
Craig T. Kuesel, DO, has joined
the staff of Munson Medical
Center as a specialist in neurology. Dr. Kuesel is accepting
new patients.
Craig Kuesel, DO
3537 W. Front St.
Traverse City
(231) 935-9700 phone
(231) 935-9706 fax
 Long Term Care Services Practice Expanding
Dr. Mark Jackson has renamed his practice Northwest
Michigan Long Term Care Specialists as he is expanding
the practice to provide geriatric care to additional nursing
homes and assisted living centers in the Traverse City area.
In addition to several nurse practitioners and a physician
assistant currently practicing with Dr. Jackson, Dr. Peter Viall
and Dr. Sara Roth will join the practice this fall.
Northwest Michigan Long Term Care Specialists
1000 Pavilions Circle, Traverse City
(231) 932-3800 office phone
(231) 645-9112 Dr. Jackson’s cell (use for clinical calls only)
(231) 932-3801 office fax
 William F. Lange, MD, Practicing at iNDIGO
Health Partners
Dr. William Lange, hospital medicine, has relocated to iNDIGO Health Partners.
iNDIGO Health Partners
1105 Sixth St., Traverse City, MI
(231) 935-5000 phone
(231) 922-9271 fax
 Providers Who Are No Longer Practicing
The following providers have
retired or left the area recently:
• Drew Collins, MD; Traverse City
• Benjamin Gielda; Traverse Bay
Radiation Oncologists, Traverse
City
• Robert Green, DO; Elk Rapids
Also, a reminder that the following
physicians have retired or are no
longer practicing:
• Clifford Alan, DO
• Thomas Auer, MD
• Thomas Bannow, DO
• Thomas Doerr, MD
• Annelle Kaspor, FNP; West Front • Sally Miller, DO
Primary Care, Traverse City
• Robert Schwert, DO (still practices
• Luis Oxholm, DO; Traverse City
in Cadillac)
• Judith Ramsdell, MD; Traverse City •William Smith, MD
• David Riddle, DO; Northern
Lakes CMH, Traverse City
• Douglas Wigton, DO
• Maria Ruiz, MD; Great Lakes
Spine, Sports & Pain, Cadillac
• Lorah Wright, DO
• Tina Smith, MD; Kids Creek
Children’s Clinic, Traverse City
• Steven Young, MD
For those practices with an EMR,
please update your records.
For additional information, call HealthLink at (231) 935-5886 or 1-800-533-5520.
Page 6 | Practice Pro | June/July 2014
munsonhealthcare.org/ForPhysicians