CSMG, CSHA awarded Elite status

Cedars-Sinai Medical Group (CSMG) and Cedars-Sinai Health Associates (CSHA) have been awarded Elite status, the highest possible designation for quality care recognized by the California Association of Physician Groups (CAPG), a professional organization comprised of the state's leading managed care groups. Both organizations are ranked among the top 25 physician organizations in the state in 2010.

CSMG and CSHA are among 80 physician groups that volunteered to participate in the organization's annual "Standard of Excellence" survey. The program measures quality and affordability of health care services of these member physician groups, which provide health care to 10.8 million people in California.

"CAPG is proud of the outstanding performance of the two Cedars-Sinai physician organizations. They have set rigorous goals and standards for themselves that serve as a model for others to follow," said CAPG's President and CEO Donald Crane. "The Standards of Excellence results represent the culmination of their efforts to continually improve the delivery of quality, affordable and accountable care to their patients. Year after year, they reach this highest level of excellence."

The CAPG Standards of Excellence survey assesses organizational infrastructure and reviews each group's ability to offer steadily improving clinical quality, affordable and accessible services, the latest technology and individual responsiveness to patients. More specifically, measurements are taken to assess effectiveness and best practices in four areas:
•Care management practices - inpatient and outpatient systems to support physicians and patients to achieve reliability, safety and affordability;
•Health information technology - electronic registries to support chronic care, preventive care, professional communication and advanced electronic record systems;
•Accountability and transparency - participation in measuring and public reporting, including compliance with stringent fiscal responsibility regulations of the State of California; and
•Patient centered care - features to accommodate individualized patient needs and preferences, embracing a responsible role in a culturally diverse community.

"We truly appreciate the validation of our efforts that comes with this kind of recognition, and we're very pleased that both our physician groups have earned these high-level distinctions on an ongoing basis," said Thomas D. Gordon, chief executive officer of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Delivery Network, the umbrella organization for the two groups. "At the heart of everything we do is our dedication to providing the highest quality of care and service to our patients and to improving the health of our community. We never stop looking for better ways to achieve that."