Dr. Sunita Gupta is a primary care physician who operates East Valley Family Practice in Chandler. She joined ACN in 2015, and currently serves as a member of the ACN Board of Managers after previously serving on the quality, finance, and payer contracting committees. Dr. Gupta completed her family practice residency at Southwest Washington Medical Center and moved to the Valley in 2009.
What led you to join ACN?
I see myself as a health educator for my patients. I enjoy all aspects of my practice, especially listening to my patients and forming long-term relationships, which I feel are the cornerstone of preventive care. I joined ACN in 2015 since we share the same vision: to sustainably deliver better care for my patients through collaboration and smarter healthcare spending.
What was appealing about being part of ACN?
Arizona Care Network is a group of highly specialized and motivated people who move towards a common goal. At the board of managers meeting, we discuss multiple aspects of current healthcare, challenges, cost-effective high-quality care, networking, review and approve the work of different committees. I highly value the importance of regional provider POD meetings that occur on a regular basis, bringing the ACN team, primary care providers and specialists together. It gives a great opportunity to meet each other in a casual setting and share insight with your colleagues. I would like to see more primary care providers and specialists joining ACN.
Why is care coordination between primary care physicians and specialists important?
I strongly believe that patient care is teamwork involving patients and their families, primary care provider, support staff, care coordinators, specialists, pharmacy, hospital personnel and others. It’s very important for providers and specialists to work together, to be able to communicate via a common platform to optimize care, to be a part of the same network for cost-effectiveness. It helps to close gaps in care effectively and improve overall health. I have called in-network specialists on various occasions to expedite a consultation to avoid unnecessary emergency room visits. The patient feels more confident about their health if their primary care doctor and specialists communicate and coordinate their care.
Any advice for small-business practices and providers who might have to be involved in many different aspects of their business?
I’m a solo private practitioner, seeing patients in an outpatient setting. Before I joined ACN, I did not have much contact with specialists or hospital personnel. Now I get regular training by ACN staff through personal meetings in my office. We discuss quality measures, incentives, networking, cost reduction measures, care coordination, coding tips and more. I also attend POD meetings regularly and get to meet with colleagues and specialists in my area. And due to network efforts, more patients come for annual wellness visits. I am proud to be a part of the ACN family and would highly recommend primary care providers and specialists to join the team.
