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US Family Health Plan & Health Integrated Expand Partnership to Improve Healthcare For U.S. Military Families and Retirees

Posted on: Monday, 11 June 2007, 09:00 CDT

US Family Health Plan at Saint Vincent NYC ("USFHPNY"), recognized nationally for consistently high patient satisfaction ratings, and Health Integrated, Inc., a pioneer in health and condition (disease) management, today announced that they have expanded their partnership to provide additional healthcare benefits to our nation's military families and military retirees. Earlier this year, USFHPNY and Health Integrated began offering the Synergy Personal Health Management® (Synergy) program to USFHPNY members to assist them with managing chronic medical conditions.

Through the Synergy program, family members of active duty military personnel and military retirees are empowered to better manage their health through coaching, education, support and tools in collaboration with their physician's plan of care. This unique program addresses the individual's behavioral and emotional health along with their medical conditions and helps them most effectively use the military health system. Synergy is being offered at no additional charge to eligible USFHPNY members, and has reached maximum enrollment in its initial phase.

"As part of the military health system, USFHPNY is dedicated to providing innovative health solutions for our members," said Paul Goebel, Executive Director of US Family Health Plan at Saint Vincent NYC. "Our partnership with Health Integrated provides much needed focus on ensuring that our nation's military family members and military retirees, many of whom are chronically ill, are better able to manage their health conditions and benefit from the military healthcare system."

The Synergy program includes a specially trained clinician (Care Coach), who develops a personalized coaching plan built around an individual's specific needs. The Care Coach assists the individual in setting goals they want to accomplish related to their health condition(s) and well-being (e.g., better knowledge of their condition, better coping and communication skills, greater motivation), and provides tools to help the individual achieve those goals. The Care Coach helps participants identify any barriers that may be preventing them from feeling the best they can and encourages them to clearly communicate with their physicians and follow their treatment plans. USFHPNY has offered this program to plan members who meet specific requirements related to their chronic condition and health risk.

"Through the Health Integrated program, individuals become more knowledgeable about their own health, increase their motivation to follow treatment plans and are better able to establish and achieve goals to better health," said Dr. Sam Toney, vice chairman and chief medical officer at Health Integrated. "We also monitor treatment plans to ensure consistency against evidence-based guidelines as a means to improving clinical and financial outcomes as well as productivity in the workplace."

USFHPNY and Health Integrated first entered into a partnership in September 2004. Through Health Integrated's Synthesis Health Management Services and its own care management programs, USFHPNY provides a complete suite of medical and behavioral health services for its membership including case management, nurse advice, preventative health screenings and access to health information via phone or web.

About US Family Health Plan at Saint Vincent NYC

US Family Health Plan at Saint Vincent NYC is a TRICARE option within the military health system available to dependents of current active duty, National Guard, Reservists, and retirees from active duty and their eligible family members including those age 65 and over. Their TRICARE Prime managed care program has been providing comprehensive health coverage for over 25 years. Members of US Family Health Plan are able to participate in state of the art patient care management programs including disease management, health education website, and preventative health programs. They offer personalized care in New Jersey, and many counties in eastern Pennsylvania, southern Connecticut, New York City, Long Island, and the lower Hudson Valley through an extensive, URAC accredited network of highly qualified civilian providers. For more information, visit www.usfhp.net.

About Health Integrated

Health Integrated, Inc. pioneers health and condition management programs, resulting in better mental and physical health for individuals across the care continuum. Driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture, Health Integrated combines behavioral health and modification expertise with advanced analytic and mass personalization technology to deliver tailored outcomes-driven behavioral, medical and disease management solutions for health plans, employers and government organizations. As a result, healthcare economics, quality of life, productivity and clinical outcomes are all improved. Founded in 1996, Tampa, FL-based Health Integrated is URAC Accredited for Disease Management, Case Management and Health Utilization Management programs. The company has also received NCQA Patient and Practitioner Oriented Accreditation for its award-winning Depression Care Coaching Program. For more information, visit www.healthintegrated.com.

Source: Business Wire

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