ProgenyHealth Partners with Optima Health to Drive Quality Outcomes and Lower the Cost of Care for Premature and Medically Complex Newborns

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., March 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ProgenyHealth, the market leader in evidence-based care management solutions for premature and medically complex newborns, announced today that it has entered into a partnership with Optima Health to provide comprehensive neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) case management services for Commercial and Medicaid members.

"This exciting new relationship unites ProgenyHealth and Optima Health around the common goal of improving the health and wellbeing of the Optima Health NICU population," said Dr. Ellen Stang, President and CEO of ProgenyHealth.  "As part of the agreement, ProgenyHealth will partner with Optima Health to manage the ongoing health needs of their premature and medically complex newborns throughout their first year of life.  Through comprehensive care management programs and focused member education, our innovative program helps to improve health outcomes while also lowering the overall cost of health care."

ProgenyHealth's team of neonatologists, clinical care nurses, nurse case managers, and social workers will work collaboratively with families, facilities, and providers to manage the unique healthcare needs of the Optima Health NICU member population.  Through this partnership, Optima Health providers will gain access to ProgenyHealth's national experience, best practices, research, knowledge, and digital tools.

"Optima Health continually advocates on behalf of our health plan members to ensure they receive all of the benefits in the triple healthcare aim – highest quality care, cost efficiency, and best member/family experience," said Dr. Thomas Lundquist, Chief Medical Officer at Optima Health.  "This of course, is just as much our goal for the very smallest of our health plan members, those newborns and premature infants who find themselves requiring care in Neonatal ICUs."

A family's experience while their newborn is in the NICU can be frightening and overwhelming, which is why ProgenyHealth's case managers are available 24/7 as a direct resource for families.  ProgenyHealth's case managers educate and empower parents so they can be active participants in their infant's care and be better equipped to meet the needs of their child.

"We want to ensure that the families of these infants have the very best case management services to help them and their babies through challenging times in the NICU and through the first year of life, which may also present significant hurdles," said Dr. Lundquist.   "ProgenyHealth expands our Optima Health support of these infants and their families in a way that we know they will find most useful and helpful.  We really look forward to this partnership with ProgenyHealth, and the value it will afford our members."

About ProgenyHealth
ProgenyHealth is the only national company focused exclusively on NICU Care Management.  Their team takes a holistic approach to working with plans, providers, and families throughout the NICU baby's First Year of Life.  ProgenyHealth's neonatologists, NICU nurses, pediatric nurses, and social workers work collaboratively with providers to ensure health care services follow evidence-based best practices and are medically necessary.  Families become active participants in the health care decision making process by working closely with the ProgenyHealth clinical team. 

ProgenyHealth has successfully managed thousands of NICU infants, and delivered positive results to all their health plan partners.  ProgenyHealth consistently advances fiscal and quality outcomes for their clients and generates substantial and reproducible ROIs reducing the per capita cost of care. Working with over 1,000 hospitals and 6,000 providers nationwide, ProgenyHealth is measurably improving health outcomes for premature and medically complex newborns.  For more information on ProgenyHealth's services, visit www.progenyhealth.com.

About Optima Health
Optima Health, based in Virginia, provides health insurance coverage to approximately 440,000 members. With 30 years of experience in the health insurance arena, Optima Health Plan offers a suite of commercial products including consumer-directed, employee-owned and employer-sponsored plans, individual health plans, employee assistance programs and plans serving Medicare and Medicaid enrollees. Its provider network features 26,000 providers including specialists, primary care physicians and hospitals across Virginia. Optima Health also offers programs to support members with chronic illnesses, customized wellness programs and integrated clinical and behavioral health services, as well as pharmacy management – all to help members improve their health. The company's goals are to help each member optimize their health, be easy to use and offer services that are a great value. To learn more about Optima Health, visit optimahealth.com.

Contacts:
Lisa Lawrence, Marketing & Communications Manager
ProgenyHealth 
Telephone:  484-362-6584 
Email: [email protected]

Pamela Walters, Customer Development Consultant
Optima Health
Telephone:  757-687-6308 
Email:  [email protected]

SOURCE ProgenyHealth