Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Healthcare Risk Stratification: Matching the High-Risk
with the Right Intervention

Manasquan, N.J., USA, July 21, 2006 – To deflect the cost of chronic care, the scope of healthcare has broadened to embrace prevention. Using a variety of tools and methodologies, more healthcare organizations are striving to pinpoint that population poised for or in the midst of a health crisis and then attempting to slow or prevent complications. During Healthcare Risk Stratification: Strategies for Identifying and Referring the Appropriate Service and Intervention, an August 16, 2006 audio conference sponsored by the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN), two organizations with success in this arena will share new approaches to identifying high-risk members and patients and aligning appropriate interventions. For more information, please visit the HIN bookstore.

Categorizing individuals into health risk strata is based on factors such as age, gender, demographic variables, co-morbidities and behaviors and is derived from health risk assessments (HRAs), claims data, physician referrals and other sources. During the 90-minute live interactive audio conference at 1:30 p.m. Eastern time on August 16, healthcare thought leaders will present case studies from different healthcare organizations on stratifying by health risk, along with the type and frequency of intervention by risk level.

Thomas Ferraro, business development director with Mayo Clinic Health Management Resources, and Penelope Kokkinides, national vice president of disease management with AmeriChoice, a United Healthcare Company, will disclose details on their organizations’ stratification strategies that enable them to target the most appropriate intervention to patients with chronic healthcare needs. Their presentations will cover:

• Factors to examine when stratifying members;
• Special considerations for commercial, Medicare or Medicaid populations;
• How race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and access issues factor into stratification; and
• Case studies of stratification methodologies.

Besides improved health outcomes, stratifying their respective populations can be a financial boon to both health plans and employers, according to Melanie Matthews, HIN executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Armed with this information, a health plan can tailor coverage to its clients and also offer justification for cost,” she says, while an employer’s clearer picture of workforce health risks is a valuable negotiating tool when shopping for employee coverage. The data gleaned from the risk stratification process can foster preventive and disease management programs for the at-risk population, she added.

CEOs, medical directors, disease management directors, managers and coordinators, health plan executives, care management nurses, business development executives and strategic planning directors will derive value from this audio conference, Matthews stated.

In addition to the live audio conference on August 16, 2006, the presentation will also be available as an on-demand rebroadcast beginning August 18, 2006, and on CD-ROM with printed transcript in late August. To register and obtain details on audio conference, please visit the HIN bookstore.

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network – HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 292-3073, e-mail info@hin.com, or visit http://www.hin.com.

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Contact: Patricia Donovan