June 16^th, 2003

Contact: Jennifer Kurczek
Community Relations Director

(920)361-5481 or jkurczek@partnershealth.org

Home Health Quality Initiative

CHN Home Care recognized for excellence in quality

(Berlin)— Community Health Network (CHN) Home Care has been recognized through the national Home Health Quality Initiative for its excellence in care to patients in east central Wisconsin.

CHN Home Care joins 7,000 other Medicare/Medicaid-certified home health agencies nationwide who have joined the national quality measurement initiative to further improve the home healthcare provided to the 3.5 million elderly and disabled Americans annually. The program is administered by Madison-based MetaStar, non-profit health care quality improvement organization that promotes cost effective, quality healthcare based on extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of quality improvement, data analysis, and cost containment.

Following the first year of reporting, CHN Home Care not only achieved national standards on all eleven but surpassed nine standards measured. In three key areas – bathing; improved walking and moving around; and medication self-administration – CHN Home Care ranked in the top averages as compared to other providers in the state.

“By participating in this quality initiative, we recognize the opportunity to work collaboratively with MetaStar to help us achieve greater improvement in our services,” said Donna Fuller, RN, administrator of CHN Home Care. “As the local home health provider, we are committed to providing the best possible quality of care to our patients and their families.”

The Home Health Quality Initiative gives consumers the ability to gain easy access to important, objective healthcare information to make more informed decisions when selecting a home healthcare provider for themselves or a loved one. The data is part of a new Home Health Quality Initiative of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a federal agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services, designed to improve the quality of care provided by home health agencies through public reporting and community-based efforts.

Consumers can obtain the comparative data by going on-line at www.medicare.gov and clicking on Home Health Compare. Information can also be requested by calling CHN Home Care at (920) 361-5555 or Medicare toll-free at 1-800-MEDICARE.

CHN Home Care is a member of Community Health Network, a continuum of healthcare services which also includes Berlin Memorial Hospital, Juliette Manor, Juliette Terrace, Partners Family Pharmacy, CHN Rehabilitation and Workplace Services, and the CHN Medical Group, consisting of more than 110 multi-specialty providers serving nearly 20 community clinics. Community Health Network is further affiliated with Wild Rose Community Memorial Hospital.

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