Well visits are a key part of keeping patients healthy by giving providers the opportunity to address any questions or concerns, offer anticipatory guidance and deliver immunizations. They also allow providers to identify and address health concerns early on. Additionally, regularly attending well visits can reduce hospitalizations and emergency department use.1
How are we doing?
Well-child measure name, abbreviation and description2 | 2023 rate | 2024 rate | Minimum performance level3 |
Well-Child Visits in the First 30 Months of Life (W30): the percentage of members who had six or more well-child visits with a PCP in the first 15 months of life | 58.58% | 63.95% | 60.38% |
Well-Child Visits in the First 30 Months of Life (W30): the percentage of members who had two or more well-child visits with a PCP in 15 to 30 months of life | 72.96% | 75.32% | 69.43% |
Child and Adolescent Well-Care Visits (WCV): the percentage of members 3–21 years of age who had at least one comprehensive well-care visit with a PCP or an OB/GYN practitioner during the measurement year | 54.81% | 54.75% | 51.81% |
While this increase in annual visit rates is encouraging, there are still areas that need improvement, as:
- Nearly half of HPSM’s members have not seen a primary care provider (PCP) in the past 12 months.
- Our 2025 Population Needs Assessment (PNA) identified significant disparities in well visit rates among member subgroups, including those who identify as Black or Caucasian.
HPSM wants to partner with PCPs to help bring patients in for their annual well visit and close these gaps.
What you can do to help improve well-child visits
- Schedule ahead and stay flexible: Offer evening or weekend appointments, if possible. For children, if the timing is right, schedule visits during school breaks.
- Offer visit options: Let patients know what kind of well visits you offer (phone, video or in-person) and emphasize that HPSM members get all these types of well visits at no cost to them.
- Offer vaccines at every visit: At each visit, offer and administer any vaccines members are due to receive. Open vaccine clinics to help your patients get seasonal vaccines or caught up on overdue vaccines.
- Combine visits: If a patient comes in because they are sick and they are due for a well visit, integrate both—complete the well visit and evaluate their symptoms.
- Use sports physicals: Sports physicals may count as well visits when body mass index (BMI), developmental assessment and anticipatory guidance are completed and documented on the same date.
- Follow up on missed appointments: Use reminders such as call, text or letters to provide support with rescheduling well visits.
- Target outreach: Identify patients with multiple missed appointments and send them extra visit reminders.
- Submit documentation: Submit electronic health records (EHRs) with the correct codes and provider information.
Resources to help patients attend their well visit
Transportation at no cost
Medi-Cal and CareAdvantage members who have no means of transportation to approved healthcare visits can use HPSM’s Ride Benefit at no cost.
Language Assistance Services
HPSM offers a range of no-cost Language Assistance Services to ensure all our members receive culturally and linguistically appropriate care – including those with limited English proficiency or sensory impairment. Language interpreter services are accessible 24/7 by phone and video in over 200 languages. In-person interpreters are also available for those who use American Sign Language (ASL), as well as for ongoing appointments, appointments on sensitive topics and group therapy. To access interpreters, Dial Certified Languages International (CLI) at 1-800-225-5254 and use provider access code 64095.
References
2. Measures are based on the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) HPSM is responsible for reporting on an annual basis. See measure definitions.
3. HPSM is held to the minimum performance level for a number of HEDIS® clinical quality metrics. The minimum performance level is based on the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Quality Compass® Medicaid HMO 50th percentile rate. See the list of quality measures.