To Retired Guy. You are right, it is not the doctor's fault at all if the patient does not want to follow the advice the doctor gives. I am not sure how specifically it works, but they have people who just gather data. That chart would be audited and it would just show that the patient is not on cholesterol medications and has a diagnosis of high cholesterol. What the ramifications are for not meeting the guidelines ....I don't know. I am also not sure if they just audit the chart and only are looking for a diagnosis of high cholesterol AND if they are/are not on cholesterol medication OR if they look for documentation that the patient refused. If is all complicated but I don't know the finer details. For instance, if you are on a medication for low thyroid level, you have to see your doctor 1x/year in order to continue to get your thyroid medication renewed even if the lab test shows it is in the normal range. As for the weight, for instance, there may have to be documentation that the patient was counseled on weight loss or anyone over a certain BMI would have to have certain other criteria documented in the chart.
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