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Security Health Plan Becomes First ICSI Sponsor Outside of Minnesota

Posted on: Tuesday, 10 March 2009, 08:00 CDT

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Security Health Plan of Wisconsin, Inc., has become the first health plan outside of Minnesota to become an associate sponsor of the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI, www.icsi.org).

Security Health Plan serves more than 163,000 members in northern, western and central Wisconsin through a network of 43 affiliated hospitals, 4,100 physicians and other providers, and more than 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. It is sponsored by Marshfield Clinic, an ICSI provider member since 2007.

"We are very excited about Security Health Plan's sponsorship," said Kent Bottles, MD, president of ICSI. "Not only does Security Health Plan provide broad patient coverage in Wisconsin, but it is the type of patient-centered sponsor we seek, having been named to America's Best Health Plans(1) 2008-09 ranking according to U.S. News & World Report/NCQA in 2008-2009."

"ICSI is recognized as the leading health care collaborative in the upper Midwest," said Steve Youso, chief administrative officer of Security Health Plan. "Its initiatives have been shown to significantly improve patient outcomes while lowering health care costs at the same time. Through our sponsorship, we hope to spread these types of initiatives to our members."

Founded in 1993 by HealthPartners, Mayo Clinic and Park Nicollet Health Services, ICSI today is comprised of more than 50 medical group and hospital members representing 9,000 physicians in Minnesota and surrounding states. An independent, non-profit organization, ICSI's mission is to champion health care quality and help its members implement best clinical practices for their patients. ICSI is also helping to transform the health care system so it delivers more patient-centered and value-driven care.

With the addition of Security Health Plan, ICSI is now sponsored by seven health plans in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Health plans provide a portion of the ICSI funding. Sponsors also participate in ICSI initiatives that bring together providers, health plans, employers and patients to find solutions to health care system issues that no single group could solve alone.

"Health plans and provider groups must collaborate to affect real improvements in today's health care system," said Dr. Bottles. "We view Security Health Plan's and Marshfield Clinic's involvement in ICSI as a deepening commitment on their parts to deliver better care to Wisconsin patients."

The Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (www.icsi.org) is an independent, non-profit organization that helps its members provide evidence-based, best clinical practices to patients in Minnesota and surrounding states. Founded in 1993, ICSI today is funded by seven Minnesota and Wisconsin health plans, and is comprised of 53 medical groups representing 9,000 physicians. Its innovative and demonstrated processes enable ICSI to unite diverse stakeholders to collaboratively transform health care into a patient-centered and value-driven system.

The health maintenance organization sponsored by Marshfield Clinic, Security Health Plan serves more than 163,000 members in a 32-county area of Wisconsin. Security Health Plan is the third largest health maintenance organization in Wisconsin and offers a variety of insurance and benefit options including employer group products, individual policies, third-party administration for self-funded groups, Medicare supplemental insurance, Medicare Advantage plans and BadgerCare Plus Managed Care. Security Health Plan has been named to America's Best Health Plans(1) 2008-09 ranking according to U.S. News & World Report/NCQA and has been listed for four consecutive years. In addition, Security Health Plan has received an "Excellent" Accreditation rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

(1) "America's Best Health Plans" is a registered trademark of U.S. News & World Report.

SOURCE Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement

Source: PR Newswire

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