INDIANAPOLIS – The Sisters of St. Francis Health Services Inc. and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana today (Aug. 31) announced a new multiyear contract that will maintain in-network healthcare benefits for policyholders and employer groups throughout Indiana.
The previous contract was set to expire Sept. 1.
The agreement covers the following SSFHS medical facilities and physicians:
· St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers (Indianapolis)
· St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers (Beech Grove)
· St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers (Mooresville)
· St. Elizabeth Regional Health (Lafayette)
· Home Hospital (Lafayette)
· St. Anthony Medical Center (Crown Point)
· St. Anthony Memorial Health Center (Michigan City)
· St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Hammond)
· St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Center (Dyer)
· St. Clare Medical Center (Crawfordsville)
· Franciscan Physicians Hospital (Munster)
· Indiana Bone and Marrow Transplantation Unit (Beech Grove)
· More than 300 physicians throughout the SSFHS service areas
Health insurance plans covered are Anthem Blue Access PPO, Anthem Blue Preferred HMO, Anthem Traditional, Anthem Medicare Advantage PPO, Lumenos, Hoosier Healthwise (Indiana Medicaid) and Anthem Healthy Indiana Plan.
“We recognize how difficult this has been for our patients and appreciate their support and patience during the negotiations,” said Jay Brehm, SSFHS regional chief financial officer and chief negotiator for the hospital system. “The agreement we have forged, in the end, ensures our mission to provide patients with the timely and compassionate care they expect and deserve.”
“We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Sisters of St. Francis Health Services because it ensures that our customers will have uninterrupted, in-network access to medical care at SSFHS facilities across Indiana,” said David Lee, M.D., vice president of health services for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. “This contract achieves our number one goal of keeping health care affordable for our members.”
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
St. Francis, Anthem reach contract agreement in principle
INDIANAPOLIS – Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and the Sisters of St.
Francis Health Services, Inc. today (Aug. 29) announced they have reached an agreement in principle on a contract that will maintain in-network health care benefits for policyholders and employer groups throughout Indiana.
Final details are being ironed out, and we hope to have an official announcement soon.
Francis Health Services, Inc. today (Aug. 29) announced they have reached an agreement in principle on a contract that will maintain in-network health care benefits for policyholders and employer groups throughout Indiana.
Final details are being ironed out, and we hope to have an official announcement soon.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
St. Francis Palliative Care Clinic provides myriad resources to patients
INDIANAPOLIS – Patients who have been diagnosed with a serious illness face a myriad of questions and issues, many of which they have never had to address before.
Mercy Obeime, M.D., family physician with additional training in palliative medicine, likes to seize the moment as an opportunity to begin a planning process that will carry them through the rest of their lives, whether that be six months or 10 years.
“While patients are still able and receiving treatment for their illness, we can discuss how they could provide for their families if they become unable to work and we identify specific community resources they could call upon,” said Obeime, a St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers physician.
“We talk about living wills, power of attorney and funeral wishes as well as pain management,” she added.
Obeime is well known for her work with the uninsured and underinsured at the St. Francis Neighborhood Center at Garfield Park. She’s now branching out to provide an outpatient palliative care clinic to serve those who need help planning for the future in the face of a serious illness.
“It’s important to remember that curative and palliative measures can happen at the same time,” she said.
Palliative care focuses on relief of pain and other symptoms of a serious illness, like chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), congestive heart failure or cancer.
Treatments address shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.
Palliative care can also help patients better understand their choices for care and gain the strength to carry on with daily life. The overall goal is to enhance the patient’s quality of life.
Obeime pulls from her resource network established because of her work at the neighborhood health center. She also emphasizes the holistic approach to palliative care, looking at the physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs of each patient.
“The goal is wellness in all four of those patients’ needs,” she said.
Another goal of the palliative care clinic is to refer patients to hospice sooner rather than later. Medicare coverage for hospice patients begins when two physicians certify the patient has six months or less to live.
The Palliative Care Clinic at the St. Francis Neighborhood Health Center, located at 234 East Southern Ave, is open four half days on Tuesdays and Thursdays each month by appointment.
Patients can be referred to Dr. Obeime by calling 317-781-9669.
More information about the St. Francis Neighborhood Health Center is at http://www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=304.
The center is a funding priority of the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation. Each year the foundation raises significant contributions to assist the the facility.
Mercy Obeime, M.D., family physician with additional training in palliative medicine, likes to seize the moment as an opportunity to begin a planning process that will carry them through the rest of their lives, whether that be six months or 10 years.
“While patients are still able and receiving treatment for their illness, we can discuss how they could provide for their families if they become unable to work and we identify specific community resources they could call upon,” said Obeime, a St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers physician.
“We talk about living wills, power of attorney and funeral wishes as well as pain management,” she added.
Obeime is well known for her work with the uninsured and underinsured at the St. Francis Neighborhood Center at Garfield Park. She’s now branching out to provide an outpatient palliative care clinic to serve those who need help planning for the future in the face of a serious illness.
“It’s important to remember that curative and palliative measures can happen at the same time,” she said.
Palliative care focuses on relief of pain and other symptoms of a serious illness, like chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), congestive heart failure or cancer.
Treatments address shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.
Palliative care can also help patients better understand their choices for care and gain the strength to carry on with daily life. The overall goal is to enhance the patient’s quality of life.
Obeime pulls from her resource network established because of her work at the neighborhood health center. She also emphasizes the holistic approach to palliative care, looking at the physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs of each patient.
“The goal is wellness in all four of those patients’ needs,” she said.
Another goal of the palliative care clinic is to refer patients to hospice sooner rather than later. Medicare coverage for hospice patients begins when two physicians certify the patient has six months or less to live.
The Palliative Care Clinic at the St. Francis Neighborhood Health Center, located at 234 East Southern Ave, is open four half days on Tuesdays and Thursdays each month by appointment.
Patients can be referred to Dr. Obeime by calling 317-781-9669.
More information about the St. Francis Neighborhood Health Center is at http://www.stfrancishospitals.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=304.
The center is a funding priority of the St. Francis Healthcare Foundation. Each year the foundation raises significant contributions to assist the the facility.
St. Francis ortho surgeon explains joint replacement, arthritis therapies
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Hip and knee pain shouldn’t keep people from leading active and rewarding lives – and St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers wants to show you how.The St. Francis “Road Show” will be coming to town at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17, at the Indianapolis Marriott East, 7202 E. 21st St. In the spotlight is a hip and knee replacement seminar.
Michael Berend, M.D., will explain the latest procedures in joint replacement and arthritis treatments. He is a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in adult reconstructive surgery and joint replacement.
Berend is a surgeon with Joint Replacement Surgeons of Indiana, a practice group whose Center for Hip & Knee Surgery is affiliated with the St. Francis Hospital-Mooresville.
The Center has been ranked No. 1 in Indiana for joint surgery three years in a row by HealthGrades, one of the nation’s premier health-care rating companies.
To register for this seminar, call St. Francis toll-free at 1-877-888-1777.
More information about the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Ortho/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=23.
The Center has been ranked No. 1 in Indiana for joint surgery three years in a row by HealthGrades, one of the nation’s premier health-care rating companies.
To register for this seminar, call St. Francis toll-free at 1-877-888-1777.
More information about the Center for Hip & Knee Surgery is at www.stfrancishospitals.org/Ortho/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=23.
Physiatrist signs aboard St. Francis Franciscan Spine Center
INDIANAPOLIS – Erika Cottrell, M.D., a member of St. Francis Medical Group, will establish a practice at the Franciscan Spine Center at St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers, effective Aug. 31.Cottrell comes to St. Francis from Integra Healthcare, where she was a staff physiatrist. Previously, she held similar positions with Clarian Health Partners and Community North and South hospitals.
She received her undergraduate degree at The Ohio State University, where she amassed honors, including the Big Ten Conference Medal awarded to outstanding female scholars-athletes.
A graduate of the Indiana University School of Medicine where she completed her residency training, Cottrell also served a transitional year internship at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis.
Cottrell holds memberships in the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Indiana Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
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