NORTHWEST MEDICAL SPECIALTIES EARNS national recognition
Tacoma, Washington—Northwest Medical Specialties (NWMS) has won national recognition for its patient-centered approach to delivering care. That recognition comes from The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Earning NCQA Recognition as an Oncology Medical Home shows that Northwest Medical Specialties has undergone a rigorous review of its capabilities and is committed to delivering whole-person, evidence-based care and support to its patients.
“We’re thrilled to get this acknowledgment for our all-around commitment to patient care and the experience,” said NWMS CEO Mark Nelson, Pharm.D. “This is not by chance, but rather, it is part of our strategy. We have put in place a system that offers care and support to patients not only when they’re in our offices for treatment, but also for wherever they are and whenever they are in need. We are in a proactive state of care.”
Northwest Medical Specialties is dedicated to providing compassionate, high quality and cost-effective medical services to patients with serious infections, malignancies and immune disorders primarily in the South Puget Sound Region of Washington state. NWMS is committed to providing services outside the confines of the hospital setting when outpatient care is deemed appropriated for the patient’s condition.
“NCQA Oncology Medical Home Recognition distinguishes practices that communicate, collaborate and integrate care in ways that patients want and that improve quality,” said NCQA President, Margaret E. O’Kane.
In addition to meeting or exceeding national standards NCQA establishes for specialty practices, Northwest Medical Specialties met or exceeded oncology-specific elements including:
· Quality improvement.
· Establishing oncology practice responsibilities
· Providing comprehensive health assessments.
· Following evidence-based pathways.
· Coordinating patient-centered support during treatment.
Insurance provider partner Premera Blue Cross has partnered with NWMS to craft an agreement that enables NWMS to provide a very different way of engaging with and serving its Premera customers. Leaders from both NWMS and Premera have worked hand in glove over the past 2 years to move to this model of value-based care forward. Those efforts are now showing results.
“We see this as an investment in partners who share our goals,” said Dr. Ted Conklin, Premera Vice President of Provider and Customer Engagement. “It’s important to us and to our members that we stand by our word of putting the customer in the center of all we do. Providers like NWMS are living that experience with their patients every day.”
About Northwest Medical Specialties
NWMS provides state of the art medical service for patients diagnosed with oncology, hematology and infectious diseases. They are dedicated to providing excellence in patient care and understanding individual needs.
With a team of dedicated staff conveniently located in seven south Puget Sound locations: Tacoma, Puyallup, Gig Harbor, Federal Way, Lakewood, and Bonney Lake, they are also committed to the advancement of medical treatment through research.
About Premera Blue Cross
Premera Blue Cross is a leading health plan in the Pacific Northwest, providing comprehensive health benefits and tailored services to approximately 1.9 million people, from individuals to Fortune 100 companies. The company offers innovative health and wellness solutions focused on quality outcomes for patients and controlling costs. Premera Blue Cross, which has operated in Washington since 1933, is a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
Premera Blue Cross is a member of a family of companies based in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., providing health, life, vision, dental, stop-loss, disability, workforce wellness, and other related products and services. The family of companies employs over 3,600 people and provides healthcare coverage and related services to over 2.1 million members.
About NCQA
NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. The NCQA PCMH Recognition program is the most widely adopted medical home model in the country—more than 12,000 primary care practices are recognized and more than 60,000 clinicians are in recognized practices. NCQA’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make informed health care choices.