American Specialty Health Entry Named Winner in URAC's Best Practices in Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards


WASHINGTON, April 9, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- URAC announced the winners of its inaugural Best Practices in Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards competition March 25, naming American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH), one of the nation's premier personal health improvement organizations, as a Best Practices Award winner in the consumer/patient safety category. The awards were presented at a black tie gala during URAC's Best Practices in Consumer Empowerment and Protection Conference in Orlando, Florida. During the conference, award finalists presented their model programs to attendees so these best practices can be duplicated in communities across the country.

ASH's "Reduction in Regional Variation of X-ray Utilization" patient safety project was implemented in 1995 and has been managed by the company's clinical services and health services teams for the past 13 years. During this time, the teams saw a reduction in the utilization of X-ray examinations from over 70 percent to just over 10 percent.

X-ray examination is a critical component of chiropractic health care. Because member safety is critically important to ASH and diagnostic X-rays have the potential to be harmful (like most medical procedures), ASH has developed judicious comprehensive clinical and operational Total Quality Management systems to bring value to members and clients of ASH chiropractic programs.

"A Best Practices Award is a strong signal to the marketplace that an organization places a premium on consumer protection and empowerment," said Alan P. Spielman, URAC's president and CEO. "We are excited about this opportunity to recognize these trailblazers and draw attention to programs that are models for the industry."

In all, URAC honored 22 winners for excellence among entries from health care management, health information technology, health plan and pharmacy benefit management organizations. Entries were judged by a distinguished panel of industry experts in three categories: consumer decision support, consumer/patient safety, and integrated care coordination. Programs were selected as winners for their ability to measurably demonstrate an impact on consumer empowerment and/or protection, as well as their potential for wide-spread implementation of the program by other organizations.

"This initiative proves that effective clinical management can dramatically improve clinical practice philosophy -- without compromising patient health and safety," said ASH's chief health services officer and executive vice president Douglas Metz, DC. "ASH clinical quality is focused on improving chiropractic health outcomes and supporting patient safety."

"ASH has always had a strong commitment to 'evidenced-based' health care in its specialty managed care, fitness, and health improvement and wellness programs," said ASH chairman and CEO George DeVries. "I believe this commitment creates a better program, serves consumers better, and generates better all-around results, including clinical outcomes and member satisfaction. Receiving this award reinforces our commitment to progress in this field," DeVries said.

A complete list of winners of the Best Practices in Consumer Empowerment and Protection Awards may be found at www.urac.org.

About URAC

URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation and certification programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

About American Specialty Health

American Specialty Health Incorporated is one of the nation's premier personal health improvement organizations, providing specialty benefit programs, fitness programs, health coaching and incentives, Internet solutions, and worksite wellness programs to health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups, and trust funds nationwide.

Based in San Diego, ASH has over 600 employees and covers more than 13.4 million members in specialty benefit, fitness, and coaching programs. For more information, visit ASH online at ASHCompanies.com or call 800.848.3555.



            

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