Blue Care Network of Michigan expanded its commitment to help members maintain and improve their health by adding disease management (DM) programs for an array of complex, chronic diseases. The arrangement will offer support for members and physicians through a partnership with Accordant Health Services Inc., an AdvancePCS company.
The AccordantCare(TM) programs help members take control of their health and enjoy improved quality of life through specialized support and educational services. The program is offered at no additional cost for Blue Care Network members with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, myasthenia gravis, sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, scleroderma, polymyositis, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, dermatomysitis and Gaucher disease.
"This new arrangement enables us to offer programs addressing a broader range of conditions," said Kevin Seitz, BCN president and chief executive officer. "It's another way for us to keep our commitment to our members to deliver high quality care and service."
Blue Care Network already offers DM programs for members with diabetes, congestive heart failure, low back pain, depression, asthma and migraine headaches. Earlier this year, BCN became the first commercial HMO in the nation to receive full patient and practitioner accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance for its DM programs in asthma, CHF and diabetes.
"Accordant's proven methodologies positively impact member health for a constellation of complex, chronic diseases," states Steve Schelhammer, founder and president of Accordant, a population-based DM company. "It is our goal to work collaboratively with Blue Care Network to achieve optimal outcomes for its members with rare diseases, while driving exemplary patient satisfaction ratings."
According to Janie Flemming, BCN vice president, Quality Improvement Programs, "Living with a chronic disease is challenging, and this type of very specific care can really make a difference to people in their day-to-day activities and in keeping them as healthy and active as possible. By partnering with Accordant, we can offer programs for conditions where we have relatively few members with the disease but where the need for information and support is great."
Accordant nurses work with members to evaluate their health status and identify areas that may need special attention. They may help coordinate care when a member has multiple physicians or other health professionals providing care. Accordant's member services include a 24-hour member line, Web site and newsletters and other educational materials. Accordant works with physicians to keep them informed of their patients' changing health and medical needs. Its medical specialists are available to advise physicians on complex patient or treatment issues.
About Accordant
Accordant, an AdvancePCS company based in Greensboro, N.C., focuses on assisting patients who have complex, chronic diseases with the goal of improving clinical, patient satisfaction and cost-of-care outcomes. Accordant earned Full NCQA Patient- and Practitioner-Oriented Disease Management Accreditation in 2003. The company relies on its expert "Tele-Web" system that integrates Internet and call-center technologies to enable flexible, intelligent and customized information sharing among patients, providers and health plans. Accordant is a leader in population-based disease management for a constellation of complex, chronic diseases including multiple sclerosis, Lupus, Parkinson's, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, and sickle cell anemia. Accordant has supported over 20,000 chronic patients whose participation has been sponsored by their health plan. Accordant's Medical Advisory Board is comprised of national medical experts who participate in the development and continuous quality improvement of the company's programs. For more information about Accordant, visit www.accordant.net or call 1-800-948-2497.
About Blue Care Network
Blue Care Network, with more than 500,000 members in Michigan, has the state's largest HMO network of physicians and hospitals. It includes more than 3,000 primary care physicians, 6,700 specialists and 120 hospitals. Blue Care Network is the HMO affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For further information, visit.
SOURCE Blue Care Network
CONTACT: Helen Stojic of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, +1-313-225-8113; or Ihor Andruch, +1-201-641-1911, ext. 50, iandruch@cpronline.com , for Accordant Health Services Inc.