Medco Pharmacy Receives Full Accreditation, 'Gold Seal of Approval™' From The Joint Commission
"This is a quest for excellence that has no end"
FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) announced today that The Joint Commission, a leading independent standards setting and accrediting body in healthcare, has awarded the Medco Pharmacy its Gold Seal of Approval™ for Full Standards Compliance in Home Care - Pharmacy Dispensing Services. The recognition applies to all services offered to clients and health plan members by Medco's dispensing and call center pharmacies. Earning the Gold Seal of Approval places Medco among the leading organizations in this category to receive accreditation with no additional recommendations for further improvement.
"This independent review validates the progress we have made in driving ever-higher standards in clinical excellence as we focus on closing the gaps in care for patients with chronic and complex conditions - patients who account for 96 percent of all drug spending and 75 percent of all medical costs," said Kenny Klepper, Medco president and chief operating officer. "The fact that in our re-accreditation The Joint Commission consistently found a high level of service across so many facilities speaks to the diligence and professionalism of Medco people at every level across our company."
The Joint Commission's rigorous accreditation process includes a comprehensive review of 129 standards across 13 areas of focus, including: Treatment and Services, Rights and Ethics, Medication Management, and Information Management. On-site audits include facility tours, comprehensive scrutiny of dispensing and pharmacy practices, and reviews of equipment, emergency procedures, staffing and randomly selected patient prescriptions. Site surveys are supplemented by examining standards-compliance documentation.
"Medco's Practice of Pharmacy is about re-inventing the future of pharmacy each and every day – this is a quest for excellence that has no end," said Tracy Furgiuele, senior vice president and Medco chief pharmacist. "We have integrated the most advanced automated technology with a culture dedicated to patient safety so that we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of the patients we are committed to serving."
Medco was first accredited by The Joint Commission (then known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or JCAHO) in December 2003 when it received a perfect survey score of 100 percent for Full Standards Compliance in Home Care - Pharmacy Dispensing Services. The Joint Commission accredited the Medco Pharmacy again in 2007.
The Medco Pharmacy network is anchored by two of the world's largest and most advanced pharmacies. In 2009, these facilities accounted for the vast majority of the 98 million mail prescriptions dispensed by Medco. Many Medco pharmacists are specially trained in treating patients with chronic and complex conditions such as asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. This advanced pharmacy practice has been proven to improve patient medication adherence and reduce omissions in care.
About Medco
Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) is pioneering the world's most advanced pharmacy® and its clinical research and innovations are part of Medco making medicine smarter™ for approximately 65 million members.
With more than 20,000 employees dedicated to improving patient health and reducing costs for a wide range of public and private sector clients, and 2009 revenues of nearly $60 billion, Medco ranks 35th on the Fortune 500 list and is named among the world's most innovative, most admired and most trustworthy companies.
For more information, go to http://www.medcohealth.com.
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. We undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the risks and uncertainties that affect our business, particularly those mentioned in the Risk Factors section of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
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SOURCE Medco Health Solutions, Inc.
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