BOSTON AND WALTHAM, Mass., May 7 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthShare Technology and Tufts Health Plan announced today that Tufts Health Plan, one of the nation's best-performing health plans, is using HealthShare Technology's Select Quality Care(r) decision support suite tools for consumers and healthcare professionals. This evidence-based hospital comparison tool enables Tufts Health Plan members to make better informed decisions about their healthcare needs, in partnership with their physician.
Select Quality Care allows Tufts Health Plan members to obtain an objective, condition-specific comparison of hospital's treatment outcomes for 165 specific diagnoses or procedures. The easy-to-use Web-based tool provides detailed, side-by-side comparisons of up to 10 hospitals at a time based on each member's specific needs and preferences. HealthShare Technology's Select Quality Care tool is now available through Tufts' Health eAccess.
"Tufts Health Plan is a leader in providing its members with the tools and information they need to become more educated health care consumers," said Rick Siegrist, president and CEO of HealthShare Technology. "By utilizing Select Quality Care, members can maximize their experience with their health plan, and work with their physicians to make informed decisions."
A new study by HealthShare Technology, shows that consumer use of the Internet to research hospital quality is growing rapidly. According to the report, eighty-eight percent of these "hospital quality seekers" are primarily concerned with two factors -- the hospital's complication rates and past patient satisfaction. The report was based on a survey of 5,000 online adults (margin of error +/- 1%) and was conducted by Forrester Research.
"Giving our members access to information on the quality of care available in our hospital network is an important step in creating informed consumers," said Dr. John Freedman, medical director for quality at Tufts Health Plan. "At a time when consumers are being asked to take a more active role in making health care decisions, we need to provide them with information that can support them. Select Quality Care fulfills an important need by providing highly personalized access to objective healthcare performance data."
Select Quality Care is the latest addition to Tufts' Health eAccess, an initiative that provides cutting-edge technology to continually improve quality of care, customer service and operating efficiency. The array of tools available through Tufts Health eAccess serves providers, employers, brokers and members.
About Tufts Health Plan
Tufts Health Plan has been cited for its outstanding quality from a variety of third parties. Since 1996, Tufts Health Plan's HMO has been ranked, "Highest in Overall Member Satisfaction Among Health Plans in Boston," by J.D. Power and Associates*. Tufts Associated Health Maintenance Organization, Inc., Total Health Plan, Inc. and Secure Horizons, Tufts Health Plan for Seniors, have been given Excellent NCQA status. The plan was named one of the top 15 accredited health plans in the nation in the HEDIS(R) Effectiveness of Care Measure in the 2002 State of Health Care Quality Report **. (http://www.tuftshealthplan.com/)
About HealthShare Technology
HealthShare Technology, Inc. is a provider of health care decision support tools that quickly and effectively analyze provider cost and quality. HealthShare is a privately held company with an impressive client roster of leading health plans, hospitals and health systems, employers, and consulting firms. Select Quality Care Consumer and Select Quality Care Professional are products of HealthShare Technology. Select Quality Care Consumer is an award- winning hospital comparison tool for consumers and has been approved by the Leapfrog Group to disseminate their patient safety survey data. To learn more, visit http://www.selectqualitycare.com/.
Select Quality Care is a registered trademark of HealthShare Technology, Inc.
*J.D. Power and Associates 2002 Managed Care Satisfaction Study(SM) based on responses from 27,332 commercial health plan members in 16 of the top U.S. markets. Tufts Health Plan HMO was the highest ranked health plan in the Boston market which covers Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Suffolk counties in the state of Massachusetts. 1996, 1998, and 2000 studies conducted by CareData (acquired by J.D. Power and Associates in 2001). http://www.jdpower.com/
**HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
Tufts Health Plan; HealthShare Technology, Inc.CONTACT: Jenny McGee of HealthShare Technology, Inc., +1-978-263-6300,jmcgee@healthshare.com; or John Hallock of Brodeur Worldwide, +1-617-587-2024,jhallock@brodeur.com; or Catherine Grant of Tufts Health Plan,+1-781-466-9022, catherine_grant@tufts-health.com
