As I read a recent comment in the newspaper, an important realization struck me: There are people who think that if HMSA is paying more for health care benefits this year, it’s a sign that our quality programs with doctors and hospitals aren’t working.

This isn’t true.

The Hawaii Medical Service Association’s quality programs reward doctors and hospitals for keeping our members healthy.

Providers who participate in such programs are actually saving millions of dollars. In fact, they’re helping make up for losses caused by areas where quality programs aren’t yet fully implemented.

HMSA members who are directly affected by our quality programs are getting better care than ever before, and we have the data to prove it.

Last year, 20,000 more keiki received important checkups from their pediatricians. Five thousand additional adults got early detection tests for diabetes and several common forms of cancer.

How does this translate into dollars saved? As just one example, early diagnosis of diabetes can mean the difference between a doctor recommending a change in diet and exercise versus expensive long-term medication and a hospital stay.

Working with doctors and hospitals, HMSA’s quality programs have contributed to about 1,000 fewer patients being readmitted to a hospital statewide in the past three years.

This has saved an estimated $12.5 million. Bloodstream infections acquired in hospitals are dangerous, difficult to treat, and very costly.

Our quality programs have helped avoid an estimated 100 bloodstream infections over the past 21⁄2 years, reducing costs by a projected $7.3 million.

Our quality programs all have one focus: supporting a strong relationship between patient and doctor. It’s the single most influential relationship in health care and one of the best ways to ensure people are healthy.

Last year, HMSA members with a primary care physician received more early detection tests for serious diseases, more immunizations and better management of their medications than members without a personal physician.

A strong relationship between a patient and a doctor is the first step to empowering people and helping them take charge of their own health and well-being. Right now, too many people in Hawaii feel like they aren’t in control of their own health.

A neighbor island doctor told me recently that he sometimes feels like he cares more about his patients’ health than they do.

I often think about that comment. It makes me more determined to work with Hawaii’s doctors, hospitals and communities to build a stronger health system for our state.

We’re proud of our partnerships with the provider community across the state of Hawaii.

These partnerships and HMSA’s quality programs are making major strides in improving quality and slowing the rate of increase in health care costs.

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of all of Hawaii’s people.

Big changes don’t happen overnight, but we’re getting there, one step at a time.