AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 15, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iris Plans, an innovator in Advance Care Planning (ACP) for people with serious medical conditions, has teamed with University of Utah Health Plans (UUHP) to improve quality of care and member experience while lowering cost. “Iris Plans is delighted to launch this partnership with such an innovative partner recognized for its leadership in high quality care,” said Steve Wardle, CEO of Iris Plans. University of Utah Health Care, UUHP’s parent, was recently ranked as the number one health system in the nation for Quality and Accountability by Vizient, after seven years in the top 10 of this prestigious ranking.
“We are strong believers in the value of Advance Care Planning, and are delighted to extend this much-needed support to our members who need it most,” stated Dr. Russell Vinik, Chief Medical Officer for UUHP. “Having offered ACP directly to our members around Salt Lake City, we are well-aware of the benefits, but the need is tremendous, and the Iris Plans virtual service will allow us to serve a much larger and more diversified population.”
Iris Plans connects its healthcare professionals with people living with serious medical conditions, along with their family or loved ones through a secure video conference platform. Iris Plans’ specially-trained facilitators provide disease education, resolve conflicts, and help people document what future healthcare decisions are best aligned with their goals and preferences. These documents are then sent to the family and doctors’ offices to ensure people receive the care they want.
“This partnership represents a significant milestone for Iris Plans,” added Wardle, “and we look forward to helping UUHP further enhance their leadership in bringing high quality care to its members.”
ABOUT IRIS PLANS
Iris Plans is a tech-enabled service that provides Advance Care Planning (ACP), or “healthcare planning,” to people with serious medical conditions. ACP’s proven benefits include a 25% reduction in cost for patients with serious chronic illness, better care, improved health for family members, and higher satisfaction. Iris Plans uses targeted technology and algorithms to help our strategic partners, predominately health insurers and healthcare providers, identify people who will benefit most from ACP, and deliver the service anytime, anywhere.
ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF UTAH HEALTH PLANS
University of Utah Health Plans (UUHP) began in 1998 and now serves over 155,000 members through the administration of medical, mental health, and pharmacy benefits for both self-funded and fully-insured employer groups as well as government programs including Medicare and Medicaid. Being integrated with University of Utah Health Care, UUHP is uniquely positioned to bring greater value, better cost-efficiency, and an increased patient focus to members and clients.
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