Alere Earns NCQA Health Information Products Certification for Health Information Line

ATLANTA, April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Alere Health, LLC announced today that it has achieved the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Health Information Products Certification for Health Information Line. The accreditation is for Alere's Nurse24(SM) program − a 24/7 nurseline staffed by highly experienced, registered nurses that empowers individuals to make smarter healthcare decisions by providing immediate clinical support for everyday health issues and questions that otherwise might lead to unnecessary doctor or emergency room visits.

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The accreditation is a voluntary review process for organizations that provide health information products (HIP). Governed by NCQA's rigorous Standards for Certification, the accreditation process evaluates an HIP organization's management of various aspects of its data collection and systems operation, and the process it uses to continuously improve the services it provides.

"Healthcare organizations consider NCQA Accreditation to be the gold standard for evaluating healthcare quality and value," says Alere Health CEO Tom Underwood. "This achievement demonstrates our commitment to providing the highest quality services to clients and our dedication to delivering services based on a strong, comprehensive, quality infrastructure with consolidated data and policies."

Staffed by highly trained, registered nurses, Nurse24 offers a cost-effective solution to connect anyone an employer or health plan population who has a question or medical problem with around-the-clock health advice, guidance and educational support. Health information managers help participants navigate through questions and concerns about symptoms, appropriate treatment choices, co-morbid conditions and additional risk factors, as well as refer them to relevant healthcare services.

With an 87% participant satisfaction score, Nurse24 helps individuals avoid unnecessary doctor and emergency room visits and serves as an "early warning system" for emerging health conditions before they become expensive, acute, medical events.

About Alere

Alere Health is the health management services business of Alere Inc. Alere, a Latin verb, meaning "to care for" or "to support", offers the most patient-centered health management services available from a single provider in the industry. Alere provides health interventions that cover an individual's entire lifespan, from pre-cradle to end-of-life care, as well as the continuum from wellness and prevention, to total health management of the individual for those having chronic illnesses.  Alere's continuum of services begins with genetic testing, preconception, pregnancy, NICU and first year of life services; continues with lifelong programs focused on health, wellness and the management of chronic conditions such as Heart Failure, COPD, and Asthma, up to the complex care management required in end-of-life care. 

For more information regarding Alere, please visit www.alere.com.

SOURCE Alere Health