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Care Management Delivers Better Health for MillionsMay 21, 2012 |
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Advances in technology help medical professionals communicate, connect and stay informed on their patients' care BROOMFIELD, CO, May 21, 2012—Millions of patients nationwide are receiving better healthcare with the help of care management programs that use advanced technology to assist in improving medical team coordination and communication. These sophisticated workflow and authorization tools are helping care managers coordinate a patient’s care by getting procedures reviewed and approved more quickly, allowing providers to share data and recommend improvements to care plans. In the end, these advancements enable better care for patients and greater efficiencies and cost savings for the healthcare system. McKesson Health Solutions has been supporting health plans and states nationwide for the past ten years in implementing care management programs that help to improve patients’ health. The company recently launched an upgraded version of its workflow software, CCMS™. Delivered from the McKesson VITAL Platform, this software serves as one cohesive, flexible application for the delivery of utilization, disease and case management. CCMS 7 helps care managers keep a comprehensive database of a patient’s medical history – procedures, tests, lab results, assessments and medications, for both physical and behavioral health issues. The patient’s data is collected through medical claims supplied by health plans and through health assessments conducted between the care manager and patient. Once collected, the patient’s information is then securely shared with the patient’s primary care physician through a portal that allows the doctor to review the patient’s medical history, flag gaps in care and identify opportunities for improvement in the care plan. Laura O’Brien, RN has delivered disease management programs for McKesson for five years and has seen firsthand how improvements in technology can assist in delivering better health outcomes for patients. “My role as a care manager is to support primary care physicians by directing patients to their doctors for care, reinforcing with the patient their doctor’s instructions and counseling patients on issues that require greater support, such as weight loss and smoking cessation,” says O’Brien. “By focusing on strengthening that relationship between the doctor and patient, our care management programs are able to help reduce unnecessary emergency room visits and hospital readmissions, and improve medication adherence and self-management of a patient’s chronic conditions.” Workflow technology is further enhanced when combined with clinical content and technology that allows providers to immediately request authorization and medical review for procedures they deem necessary. Decision support software tells providers instantly – at the point of care – if a procedure is medically appropriate and covered by an insurer. Meanwhile, evidence-based clinical content, called InterQual® Coordinated Care Content, enables accurate medical reviews and supports complex care planning for seriously ill patients. To further enhance medical team communication, once procedures are authorized, the McKesson VITAL Platform automatically generates letters that are mailed directly to the patient and their primary care physician, ensuring no one is left out of the loop. McKesson care management products and services currently help care managers nationwide coordinate care for millions of people. “Thanks to this technology, we get a 360 degree picture of a patient’s health and are better able to support physicians in delivering better care, which ultimately leads to healthier people,” says O’Brien. About McKesson McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to making the business of healthcare run better. We partner with payers, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com. PR Contact
Michelle Malgesini |
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