Investing in the Future of Healthcare Reaps Star Dividends for MemorialCare Medical Foundation

May 01, 2012

Tustin, CA, May 2012 – MemorialCare Medical Foundation, a member of MemorialCare Health System, is pleased to announce that two of its physician groups, MemorialCare Medical Group and newly affiliated Greater Newport Physicians (IPA) have both earned the highest rating of four stars - “Elite Status,” from California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG) in their Standards of Excellence (SOE) Program. Started six years ago, this critical self-assessment program is the first-known voluntary large scale tool for medical groups in the United States. It measures the infrastructure of physician organizations for their ability to “steadily improve clinical quality, affordability, access, technology, public accountability, and individual responsiveness” to patients; all important investments for the future of healthcare as well as for the patients’ benefit.

CAPG measures the infrastructure in four domains:

• Care Management Practices – bettering in-patient and out-patient care delivery by using in-house systems designed to support physicians and patients to achieve reliability, safety, and affordability
• Health Information Technology –improved patient communication, data management (Electronic Medical Records) and timeliness of response using computerized systems to support chronic and preventive care
• Accountability and Transparency - willingness to participate in reviewing, reporting, corrective, and regulatory processes, including compliance with California fiscal responsibility regulations
• Patient Centered Care – giving physicians the tools they need to meet patients’ individual desires for better communication, convenience, preferences, needs, continuity of care, and cultural sensitivities

“Patients benefit when physicians are supported in their efforts to provide care for them. It is a “trickle up” system, with the patient at the top, ultimately reaping the advantages the supporting infrastructure provides to the physician. But just having a system doesn’t earn you the top rating – it’s what you do with it,” explains Dr. Mark Schafer, Chief Medical Officer for MemorialCare Medical Foundation. “In a time when healthcare is under the microscope, we’re extremely gratified to have our efforts on behalf of our patients and physicians recognized by this highly respected organization,” says Schafer. “Our physicians and staff have worked hard to make sure our patients receive high-quality treatment, continuity of care, and management of medical conditions. Yes, constantly updating and improving systems can be expensive, especially now when physician reimbursements are taking another hit, but as far as we’re concerned, continuing to invest in systems that will only improve patient care is the best investment we can make.

About CAPG
The California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG) represents groups that employ or contract with nearly 60,000 California doctors and provide care to 15 million Californians. CAPG is committed to improving healthcare for Californians and supports a progressive and organized system of healthcare delivery, which focuses on coordinated treatment plans and comprehensive coverage, including the most current preventive services and exams. This allows physicians to focus on illness prevention and proactive management of patients in order to maintain their optimum level of health.

About MemorialCare Medical Foundation
MemorialCare Medical Foundation, a nonprofit physician practice management organization, contracts with physician groups in Orange and Los Angeles counties to offer comprehensive medical care to patients. The physician network, representing 263primary care physicians, 1362 contracted specialists and 1,225 employees, serves over 160,000 managed care patients. The Medical Foundation allows physicians and hospitals to work together toward an integrated approach to health care delivery. Its many honors include consistently being selected by Integrated Healthcare Association as one of California’s top-rated physician groups.

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