McKesson's ACCESS Plus One of 15 Finalists for 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards

McKesson has provided disease management services to the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW) since March 1, 2005. The program, called ACCESS Plus, uniquely integrates an enhanced primary care practitioner network with disease management and serves approximately 169,000 children and 95,000 Medicaid beneficiaries in the Commonwealth’s 42 rural counties.

“This award is a tremendous honor for both McKesson and DPW. By working together, we continue to provide important health services to the underserved throughout the state,” said Emad Rizk, M.D., president of McKesson Health Solutions.

As a finalist, DPW presented details about ACCESS Plus to the Ash Institute’s National Selection Committee at Harvard University. The committee is comprised of experts in public policy and public administration.

“Pennsylvania’s commitment to ACCESS Plus is extremely important to the underserved population throughout the state. This population can have difficulty consistently accessing healthcare services that are necessary to manage chronic diseases,” said Diana Verrilli, vice president, Care Management Services, McKesson Health Solutions.

ACCESS Plus delivers healthcare services to low-income children and families. The program has improved quality of care and helped participants better manage chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart problems and asthma.

The program was selected from a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants, which represent the best in government innovation from local, county, city, tribal, state and federal levels, according to the institute.

Programs submitted as part of the competition underwent several rounds of rigorous evaluation from a committee of practitioners and policy experts from Harvard Kennedy School, as well as renowned institutions nationwide.

Established in 1985 at Harvard Kennedy School by the Ford Foundation, the Innovations in American Government Awards Program is designed to improve government practice by honoring effective government initiatives and encouraging the dissemination of such best practices across the country. Over its 20 year history, the Innovations in American Government Program has honored 181 federal, state, and local government agencies.

In May, ACCESS Plus was named one named one of the Top 50 Programs of the 2008 Innovations in American Government Awards by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard Kennedy School.

About McKesson Corporation

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, and marks 175 years of continuous operations in 2008. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit www.mckesson.com.