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California Health & Wellness is no longer a Medi-Cal plan starting January 1, 2024. Regardless of the county you live in, your Medi-Cal service and benefits will not be impacted by the health plan changes since you will be assigned to a new health plan. The county you live in determines your new health plan. Learn more
California Health & Wellness is no longer a Medi-Cal plan starting January 1, 2024. Regardless of the county you live in, your Medi-Cal service and benefits will not be impacted by the health plan changes since you will be assigned to a new health plan. The county you live in determines your new health plan. Learn more

22-059m Improve Care and Build Trust with Choosing Wisely®

Date: 01/28/22

Access helpful resources for providers and members at ChoosingWisely.org

California Health & Wellness Plan is pleased to introduce the Choosing Wisely® initiative. The American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation’s initiative encourages providers to “choose wisely” when it comes to providing care. The initiative promotes care that is supported by evidence, not duplicative of other tests or procedures already received, not harmful and truly necessary.1

Establish a rapport to help build trust

Office visits are a good time to talk with patients about avoiding medical tests, treatments and procedures they may not need. Talk openly about overuse and care quality to build patient-provider trust.

Conversation about these topics is especially important to protect underserved and vulnerable populations. Such populations can experience a lack of needed care coupled with overuse of less effective, poor quality care.2

Display these materials at your facility

You can educate patients by offering flyers, rack cards and wallet cards in waiting rooms, office counters and exam rooms. To download materials, visit the Choosing Wisely website. Go to Getting Started > Resource Library > Additional Materials for Patients.

Learn more about shared decision-making

You play a vital role in patient education. Learn how to encourage discussion and implement a “choosing wisely” culture for your practice with these resources:

  • Clinician lists – Specific recommendations from a variety of medical societies.
  • Getting started – Ideas to help you use recommendations and tools in your daily practice.
  • Implementation toolkits – Materials to help you put a “Choosing Wisely” program into place for your practice.
  • Success stories – Learn how societies and grantees, including hospitals and medical groups, worked to reduce unnecessary care.

1Information adapted from Choosing Wisely®.

2Communicating About Overuse with Vulnerable Populations. American Board of Internal Medicine (PDF).