American Healthways Receives High Marks On NCQA Review; Accreditation Renewed, Initiated on 7 Disease Management Programs.NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- American Healthways, Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :AMHC) today announced it has received full, three-year renewal of accreditation status by the National Committee for Quality Assurance National Committee for Quality Assurance Medical practice A private, not-for-profit organization which has become the leading accreditor of managed care plans; in site visits, NCQA reviewers evaluate a managed care plan in terms of quality management, physicians' (NCQA NCQA National Committee on Quality Assurance, see there ) for its diabetes, congestive heart failure congestive heart failure, inability of the heart to expel sufficient blood to keep pace with the metabolic demands of the body. In the healthy individual the heart can tolerate large increases of workload for a considerable length of time. , coronary artery disease coronary artery disease, condition that results when the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded, most commonly by atherosclerotic deposits of fibrous and fatty tissue. , chronic obstructive pulmonary disease chronic obstructive pulmonary disease n. Abbr. COPD A chronic lung disease, such as asthma or emphysema, in which breathing becomes slowed or forced. , asthma and 11 chronic impact conditions programs. Additionally, NCQA has granted initial accreditation for the Company's renal program. NCQA is a leading non-profit organization created to improve patient care and health plan performance in partnership with managed care plans, purchasers, consumers and the public sector. American Healthways' disease management programs were initially accredited by NCQA in June of 2002 and were the first of their kind to receive the organization's Full Patient and Practitioner Oriented Accreditation. "NCQA's review process was designed to ensure that the enormous promise of disease management would be fulfilled. As such programs have grown in recent years, we have remained dedicated to helping purchasers make informed decisions that will benefit the health of their members," said NCQA president Margaret E. O'Kane. "We congratulate American Healthways on successfully completing the accreditation process and continuing its dedication to quality outcomes in disease management." "We are proud of our ability to live up to the high standards NCQA has set for quality and excellence in disease management," said Dr. James Pope, chief medical officer of American Healthways. "Validation from such a respected organization further demonstrates our commitment to deliver the highest quality service to our customers and the highest quality care to the 1.6 million members we serve." NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and manages the evolution of HEDIS HEDIS Health Plan Employer Data & Information Set Managed care An initiative by the National Committee on Quality Assurance to develop, collect, standardize, and report measures of health plan performances. (R), the performance measurement tool used by more than 90 percent of the nation's health plans. About American Healthways American Healthways, Inc. is the nation's leading and largest provider of population health management services proven to improve the quality of health care and lower costs. As of May 31, 2005, the Company had more than 1.6 million lives under management nationwide. For more information visit www.americanhealthways.com. |
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