AMGA to present Medical Group Preeminence Award to HealthTexas Provider Network

The American Medical Group Association announced it will present the Medical Group Preeminence Award on March 20 to HealthTexas Provider Network, an affiliate of Baylor Health Care System based in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. The presentation will take place at the AMGA 2010 Annual Conference, being held March 18-20 at the New Orleans Marriott.

The AMGA Medical Group Preeminence Award is presented annually to physician-administrator leadership teams from AMGA member medical groups for exceptional leadership; innovation and vision; contributions to the advancement of quality; effective healthcare delivery practices and structure; and outstanding contributions to the local public community in which the healthcare organization is located. Previous recipients include Albert Lea Medical Center-Mayo Health System, Aurora Medical Group, Cleveland Clinic, Colorado Permanente Medical Group, The Everett Clinic, Geisinger Health System, Holzer Clinic, Lovelace Health System, NEA Clinic, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, Park Nicollet Health Services, The Permanente Medical Group, Riverside Health System, St. John's Clinic, Southeast Permanente Medical Group, Vanderbilt Medical Group, Virginia Mason Medical Center, and Watson Clinic Foundation.

HealthTexas Provider Network was selected to receive the Preeminence Award for demonstrating improved care for extensive populations and across a very large organization. With leadership support and structured use of care teams, the organization increased the percentage of the entire adult population up-to-date with preventive services from 38 percent to 92 percent; LDL at goal for patients with diabetes from 46 percent to 60 percent; and microalbumin screening from below 50 percent to 65 percent. In addition to their dedicated focus on care management for their entire adult population, HealthTexas Provider Network established the Office of Community Health Improvement, which is charged with eliminating disparities and improving health status of the medically underserved in the community. Through their efforts, they have established innovative programs such as Project Access, Community Health Service Corp, and Volunteers-in-Medicine, that allow their physicians to donate time, services, and money to achieve quality health care for all individuals in their community and beyond.

The leadership team at HealthTexas Provider Network consists of the following individuals:

• David Winter, M.D., FACP, Chief Clinical Officer, Chairman of the Board
• Lannie Hughes, M.D., Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs
•Cliff Fullerton, M.D., Senior Vice President, HTPN Disease Management
•James Walton, M.D., M.B.A., Vice President, HTPN Office of Health Innovation
•William Roberts, President
•Sarah Gahm, Chief Administrative Officer
•Cindy DeCoursin, Chief Operating Officer

"This award recognizes an organization's contributions to the community but also to the medical group model, itself," said Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, AMGA's President and Chief Executive Officer. "HealthTexas Provider Group stands as an exemplar of the model, and their work is revolutionizing how care is delivered to their community. They prove what professionals dedicated to advancing quality, coordinated care, working together in an integrated setting, can achieve to better serve their patients, their organizations, and their communities."

SOURCE American Medical Group Association