Adherence to essential standards helps reduce readmissions; promotes optimal health outcomes

Frisco, Texas – November 12, 2015 – Conifer Health Solutions announced today that its Care Continuum Solutions group has earned URAC’s Transitions of Care (TOC) designation for “organizational practices designed to manage changes in a patient’s care settings, levels of care, or providers.” URAC promotes health care quality through its accreditation and certification programs that are based on nationally recognized standards.

The TOC designation distinguishes Conifer Health as a leader in care management and is one of only a handful of certifications recognized by URAC. The designation is awarded as providers make care continuity the focus for quality improvements that will help them decrease preventable readmissions and avoid penalties under the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP). A Kaiser Health News analysis of data released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) indicates that nearly half of the nation’s hospitals will lose a combined $420 million due to readmissions as of October 2015.

“We applaud Conifer Health Solutions on achieving the URAC Transitions of Care Designation,” said URAC president and CEO Kylanne Green. “In today’s healthcare market, URAC accreditation provides a mark of distinction for organizations to demonstrate their commitment to quality healthcare.”

The objective of the TOC initiative is the safe and timely transfer of patients from one care setting to another, specifically from inpatient hospitalization to home. Proactive intervention at this critical point can lead to a reduction in readmissions and improvement in health outcomes. The coordination of services, education and the timely transfer of information between hospitals, physicians, post-acute care providers and patients are essential components of effective TOC management.

“Healthcare stakeholders ranging from hospitals and clinically integrated networks to accountable care organizations, and health plans are seeking innovative care management practices to reduce cost and increase quality. By adhering to URAC’s essential set of standards and performance measures, we’re demonstrating a commitment to help our clients successfully manage at-risk populations as they move from one care setting to another,” said Mary Ellen Gervais, PhD, RN, CCM and executive vice president, Medical Management Services for Conifer Health’s Value-Based Care unit.

About URAC
For 25 years, URAC has been the independent leader in promoting health care quality through accreditation, education, and measurement. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs that reflect the latest changes in health care and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to showcase their validated commitment to quality and accountability. URAC’s evidence-based measures and standards are developed through inclusive engagement with a broad range of stakeholders committed to improving the quality of health care.