Humana (NYSE: HUM) and Metcare of Florida, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc. (AMEX: MDF), today announced the establishment of patient centered medical homes for Humana Medicare Advantage members in nine Metcare centers in Central and South Florida.
The medical home is a model that has drawn national attention as a way to improve patient satisfaction and health care quality, promote prevention and add value to the customer. By creating a system in which the primary care doctor serves as a member’s health care “quarterback,” the patient centered medical home strengthens the relationship among the patient, the physician and other health care professionals and thus delivers coordinated care that emphasizes the health of the whole person.
In order to accomplish this, the patient centered medical home focuses on the following principles:
— Ensuring that the patient has a personal physician that is coordinating all of his or her care with the team of health care providers
— Developing a patient-centered focus that delivers the right care at the right place, avoiding the need to visit the emergency room or retail medicine centers for non-emergency care
— Utilizing technology, such as electronic prescribing, to improve the quality and safety of care, and to increase member outreach to encourage preventive behaviors
— Enhancing prompt access to care and increasing communication between physicians and members to better serve the patient’s clinical needs
“This program between Humana and Metcare marks the first time a medical home practice model is available exclusively to Medicare members,” said Michael Sherman, M.D., M.B.A., M.S., director of Humana’s Physician Strategies Department. “We are very proud to be the first to offer this state-of-the-art, cutting edge health care choice to Humana Medicare members, at no additional cost above their Humana Medicare Advantage premium. We believe it will significantly increase our member’s satisfaction and health and will lead to a stronger relationship between our members and our physician partners.”
Humana Medicare Advantage members can participate and receive care through the patient centered medical home model at any of the following Metcare locations:
Central Florida
— Ormond Beach
— Port Orange
— New Smyrna Beach
— Bunnell
South Florida
— Jupiter
— Boca Raton
— Belle Glade
— Plantation
— Wellington
Commenting on the program, Hymin Zucker, M.D., chief medical officer of Metcare of Florida, Inc., stated, “The patient centered medical home concept is perfectly aligned with Metcare’s philosophy of health care delivery that incorporates a team approach to care and a focus on wellness and transitional care. It is also a concept that is easily integrated into the operations of our medical practices. We believe it is a model for success that supports our vision to be Florida’s premier patient centered medical home for people with Medicare. Expanding our relationship with a quality-centric partner like Humana in an endeavor such as this furthers our mutual goal of delivering the best in patient care.”
For more information please contact Humana at 1-800-372-2147 or Maria Xirau, SVP Operations at Metcare at 561-805-8500.
About Humana
Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 11.5 million medical members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.
Over its 47-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at http://www.humana.com, including copies of:
— Annual reports to stockholders
— Securities and Exchange Commission filings
— Most recent investor conference presentations
— Quarterly earnings news releases
— Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls
— Calendar of events (includes upcoming earnings conference call dates and times, as well as planned interaction with research analysts and institutional investors)
— Corporate Governance Information
About Metropolitan Health Networks
Metropolitan is a growing healthcare organization in Florida that provides comprehensive healthcare services for Medicare Advantage members and other patients in South and Central Florida. To learn more about Metropolitan Health Networks, Inc. please visit its website at http://www.metcare.com.
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