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Study Shows Carena, Inc.'s Medical House Call Service Reduces Employer Health Care Costs

Posted on: Wednesday, 12 November 2008, 12:00 CST

A third-party analysis of Carena, Inc.'s 24/7 medical house call service demonstrates that the innovative service reduces the cost of health care for employers, and increases access to care and education for employees. The study also shows that Carena identifies health issues and positively impacts the overall health of at-risk employees.

"Study results suggest that the value of Carena far exceeds just emergency room (ER) replacement savings," said Ralph Derrickson, Chief Executive Officer of Carena. "By providing comprehensive care and education, we can identify and treat more complex health issues among a group's highest risk members. The result is better health for the employee and lower costs for the employer."

A leading health care actuarial and consulting firm, Axene Health Partners, LLC, conducted the study on the Carena Urgent Care service. The actuaries performed a risk-adjusted, pre- and post-study with two control groups. The study compared both utilization and health costs across the entire delivery system for three years, and analyzed the nature of Carena services by diagnostic and procedural data (CPT and ICD9 codes).

Results revealed that, compared to the overall population, the types of patients seen by Carena physicians were in generally poorer health and at higher risk for long-term care needs. Following treatment by Carena physicians, these patients experienced reduced instances of hospitalization, resulting in lower long-term care costs for employers.

As expected, results also reveal that Carena's service saves employers money in the short term by replacing expensive and inefficient ER visits with comprehensive and less costly medical house calls.

"Carena physicians play a key role in identifying, treating, and setting a course for improved long-term health among high-risk employees," added Dr. Ted Conklin, Carena Chief Medical Officer. "Because Carena physicians spend an hour or more with each patient, they are able to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the patient's overall well-being, in addition to treating the acute need. The nature of the visit creates a unique learning environment whereby physicians discover underlying health issues and get patients on a care path to improved health outcomes."

Since inception in 2000, Carena has delivered more than 20,000 house calls on behalf of employers seeking to reduce their health care costs.

About Carena, Inc.

Carena, Inc. provides business-based health care solutions for the way we live and work today. The company has reinvented the model for on-site health care to help employers reduce direct costs, improve health outcomes, and increase employee productivity. Carena physicians and providers deliver care and education wherever and whenever required to meet the needs of both patients and clients. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CarenaMD.com.

Source: Business Wire

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