February 2nd, 2016 by WCBC Radio
The WMHS Center for Clinical Resources has been honored by Premier, Inc. as a finalist for the 24th annual Monroe E. Trout Premier Cares Award for its centralized, interdisciplinary approach to disease management and care coordination for individuals who have one or more chronic health conditions.
Sponsored by Premier and its member hospitals, the Cares Award recognizes exemplary efforts by not-for-profit community organizations to improve the health of populations in need.
“We are extremely honored that our program was chosen as one of the finalists for this prestigious award,” said Barry Ronan, WMHS President and CEO. “Our team in the Center for Clinical Resources does an excellent job of working with patients to help them manage chronic conditions. Most importantly, it has made a profound impact on improving the lives of these patients.”
The Center’s team includes nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, respiratory therapists, patient navigators, and community health workers. They provide intervention, education and support to patients and link them to other community-based services. The services at the Center are provided at no cost to patients.
A panel of national healthcare leaders selects the Premier Cares Award winner and five finalists, all of which receive cash awards for use in further improving their programs. The Cares Award program spotlights these community-based healthcare initiatives and helps other organizations learn to replicate the unique programs by featuring information about them on the Cares Award website.
“Every year our Cares Award program honors six outstanding organizations that are helping to care for a medically underserved population in their community,” said Susan DeVore, Premier’s president and CEO. “Through its innovative program, the Center for Clinical Resources is making a true impact.”
This year’s Cares Award recipient is the Health Network, a program of Migrant Clinicians Network in Austin, Texas. Joining WMHA as finalists were:
- Heartland Alliance Marjorie Kovler Center – Chicago
- Southcentral Foundation Nuka System of Care – Anchorage, Alaska
- Illumination Foundation – Irvine, California
- Overdose Prevention Project, a program of the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition – Durham, North Carolina
About the Premier Cares Award
Premier has presented the Cares Award annually since 1991, when it was created by Dr. Monroe E. Trout, former CEO of American Healthcare Systems, one of Premier’s heritage organizations. The program has provided more than $3 million to more than 100 organizations nationwide. The Cares Award winner receives a cash prize of $100,000, while five runners-up receive $24,000 each. The competition is open to not-for-profit organizations that have been in existence for more than two years, are providing creative solutions to health status improvement, can provide documentation of outcomes and impact on a specific population, and have programs that can be replicated in other communities. Western Maryland Health System received the Premier Cares Award in 2005.
About Premier, Inc.
Premier, Inc. is a leading healthcare improvement company, uniting an alliance of approximately 3,600 U.S. hospitals and 120,000 other providers to transform healthcare. With integrated data and analytics, collaboratives, supply chain solutions, and advisory and other services, Premier enables better care and outcomes at a lower cost. Premier, a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient, plays a critical role in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry, collaborating with members to co-develop long-term innovations that reinvent and improve the way care is delivered to patients nationwide. Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., Premier is passionate about transforming American healthcare.
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