HealthHelp President & CEO Cherrill Farnsworth Awarded 4th Annual Most Influential In Specialty Health

SAN DIEGO, April 30, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Specialty Health Organizations (NASHO) today announced the recipient of its 4^th Annual Most Influential in Specialty Health Award:  Cherrill Farnsworth, President & CEO and founder of HealthHelp, a leader in the field of healthcare utilization management.

The award, voted upon by purchasers of specialty health (health plans, insurance brokers, third party administrators, etc.), recognizes leaders in specialty health who have played a major role in raising the profile of and easing access to high-quality specialty health services. Farnsworth's penchant for innovation and commitment to best practices that produce optimal outcomes earned her this annual specialty health industry honor. NASHO Board Chairman Mark Zygaj presented the award last night at the Chairman's Dinner of the 2013 Specialty Health Summit, co-hosted by NASHO and the National Association of Vision Care Plans (NAVCP). The event, running from April 29^th - May 1^st in San Diego, California, offers leaders in the industry the opportunity to gain insight from policymakers, market analysts and other experts while networking and sharing ideas with their peers.

After accepting the award Ms. Farnsworth remarked, "I am truly honored to receive this award. At HealthHelp, we strive to educate our networks and provide the best healthcare outcomes for patients. This award validates all of the hard work we are doing and I can't thank NASHO enough."

The HealthHelp model—bringing university medical schools and their vast libraries, private physicians and health plans together to generate the most favorable results for members—recommends best practices based on education and evidence. Apart from HealthHelp, Farnsworth sits on several boards, including that of the American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations (AAPPO). She was named Entrepreneur of the Year and Peat Marwick High Tech Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young and KPMG, respectively.

NASHO Executive Director Julian Roberts stated, "Many in the healthcare field regard Cherrill's best practices model as revolutionary and believe it will ultimately preclude precertification. The 99% best practice compliance rate among doctors working within the HealthHelp model demonstrates the tremendous confidence in her innovative system, and NASHO is proud to recognize her as a member of the industry's elite."

About NASHO
NASHO is a subsidiary association of the American Association of Preferred Provider Organizations (AAPPO) (www.aappo.org), founded to advance and evolve specialty healthcare delivery in the United States. Its mission is to enhance and promote the value proposition of specialty health organizations. To learn more about NASHO, visit www.nasho.org.

SOURCE National Association of Specialty Health Organizations (NASHO)