Ingenix and Sutter Connect Collaborate to Implement Performance and Quality Measures
Prominent Northern California integrated health care delivery network will use Ingenixâ??s transparent platform to measure efficiency, effectiveness and utilization of medical services
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., (April 30, 2009) –
Ingenix, a leader in health information solutions, today announced that Sutter Connect, a Sutter Health affiliate and health care management and administrative services company, has signed a five-year contract for Ingenix Impact Intelligence(TM) and services from Ingenix Consulting. Through the agreement, Sutter Connect will offer physicians in the Sutter Medical Network access to performance metrics and services they can use to measure and improve medical care and delivery.
By selecting Ingenix, Sutter Connect will implement solutions and services that enable its physicians to:
Measure health care delivery against best practices and evidence-based medicine to understand key drivers of efficiency and effectiveness and to recognize high performance
Assess care delivery resources using a comprehensive, clinically-based approach to identify unique medical conditions for a patient and grouping all related services into episodes of care
Facilitate strategic planning efforts by identifying “total costs” and “total utilization” for different types of services (e.g., inpatient, outpatient, pharmacy, lab, radiology)
Improve quality of care by identifying high-risk patients and initiating condition management (including disease management) efforts accordingly
Identify disease categories that require additional management efforts
“We believe that physicians can better see variation in care practices when they are regularly shown data that compares their methods and performances to that of their peers,” said Michael van Duren, chief medical officer for Sutter Connect. “Our physician leaders have been anxious for this type of information because it gives them the insight and tools they need to improve the quality of care they give their patients.”
“Leading health care organizations are increasing their focus on measuring the cost and quality of the services they deliver,” said Bill Miller, executive vice president of healthcare delivery solutions, Ingenix. “With the more attention being given to value-based purchasing, it is important for care providers to understand how they’re being measured, ensure it is done in a valid way and use the data to identify how care delivery can be improved. Ingenix tools and methodologies help them gain that understanding.”
About Sutter Health
Established in 1999 as a Sutter Health affiliate, Sutter Connect has grown to be a leading healthcare management and administrative services company, providing services not only to Sutter affiliated groups, but other organizations as well. Over 500 Sutter Connect team members, based in Sacramento and five regional offices, provide services to 410,000+ members from more than 30 health care organizations. More information about Sutter Connect is available at http://www.sutterconnect.com
About Ingenix
Ingenix, a wholly owned subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), transforms organizations and improves health care through information and technology. Organizations rely on its innovative products, services and consulting to improve the delivery and operations of their business. More information about Ingenix can be obtained at http://www.ingenix.com.
Source: Ingenix
