Engaging With
Patients to Close
Care Gaps

Dr. Brian Matherne has been in family practice for 43 years and is caring for generations of families in the Thibodaux/Houma area. He participates with OHN through Terrebonne General Medical Center. His office has found great success in following through with patients to get care gaps closed. Dr. Matherne is quick to give credit to his office staff, and especially the office manager for putting him in the position to be successful. “Doctors are focused on the patient and not necessarily thinking about what codes to put in,” he says. “If one of my patients comes in and needs a screening, my staff puts in their record as a diagnostic assessment and puts the order in. When I get to that note in my discussion with the patient, it’s already there. If the patient declines the procedure, I can take it out, but it reminds me to go over that information with them.”

Above all, Dr. Matherne emphasizes the importance of a strong doctor-patient relationship. “Using these methods is the only real way you can quantify how good a job you’re doing. If you’re doing it to make sure your patients are being cared for properly, it’s a good measure. My patients sense that the things I’m urging them to do are for their good and helpful to them, and it’s important for them to feel that. If they really feel that, then they’re willing to follow through and get them done.”