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Date:
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June 2, 2008
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Contact:
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Phone:
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(330) 315-3715
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Community Health Center part of state-wide recognition
Buckeye Community Health Plan in cooperation with Community Health Center of Akron (CHC) received a Community Outreach/Partnerships Pinnacle Award for its program - "Community Care: A Partnership in Nurturing."
Buckeye partnered with CHC to establish primary medical services for members with behavioral health issues. The goal of this program is to link a primary care provider (CHC) and complex patients with behavioral health issues who do not have an existing relationship with a primary physician. Referrals began in December 2007 and CHC is the major referral in the area.
The Pinnacle Award for Best Practices was awarded to two member-related health care programs offered by Buckeye Community Health Plan. This prestigious award was given out by the Ohio Association of Health Plans (OAHP) at the Annual Convention and Trade Show last week in Columbus.
This is a first-of-its-kind relationship between a managed health care company and a community health care provider. “The combination of Buckeye’s aggressive case management with Community Health Center’s primary and behavioral health care component is truly unique. I believe in the long run it will improve patient outcomes and be a health care cost saver for the State of Ohio,” remarked Dr. Timothy Rice, medical director of the CHC.
Since 1974 the Community Health Center (www.commhealthcenter.org) has offered quality substance abuse treatment services to individuals and families in Summit County and surrounding areas. Of late, the CHC has enhanced its services to include primary and behavioral health care services. “We continue to evolve with the needs of our patients,” explained Ted Ziegler, CEO of the CHC, “more services under one roof reduces the barriers patients face when traveling from doctor to doctor. It also ensures follow-through with prescribed care, while keeping patients engaged in treatment for their primary diagnosis.”
The CHC is certified by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
Buckeye Community Health Plan is a managed care organization contracted with the State of Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services to serve Medicaid and other government services program members. For more information about Buckeye visit www.bchpohio.com.
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