SynerMed and the California Long-Term Care Education Center to Add Thousands of Jobs to California Economy and Improve Healthcare with $11.8 Million Grant

MONTEREY PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SynerMed, Inc., announced today that it is partnering with the California Long-Term Care Education Center (CLTCEC) to transform IHSS education and create a care coordination model for consumers with chronic conditions.

“This project offers California a superior healthcare delivery system that will address workforce training and shortages for growing populations, while creating a new career path for California’s workforce”

CLTCEC was awarded an $11.8 million grant by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to institute managed care solutions and technologies to improve healthcare and lower costs for patients that have been determined high-risk.

Together SynerMed and CLTCEC will educate and train more than 9,000 IHSS providers and consumers in Los Angeles County. Emphasis will be placed on how to administer care through effective coordinated care teams to improve quality of care, patient satisfaction and lower healthcare costs by reducing hospitalizations and emergency room visits.

“This project offers California a superior healthcare delivery system that will address workforce training and shortages for growing populations, while creating a new career path for California’s workforce,” said Steve Decker, Executive Director of California Long-Term Care Education Center.

Healthcare professionals expect the project to result in $25 million in cost savings by reducing unnecessary use of emergency room visits by 23 percent, hospital readmissions by 23 percent and nursing home stays by 10 percent.

Newly trained IHSS workers will work with doctors, specialists, social workers and case managers to treat about 6,000 high-risk patients, most of whom are disabled, elderly, low-income patients with multiple chronic and complex conditions.

“We are truly excited about integrating IHSS providers into our care coordination teams,” said James Mason, President and Chief Executive Officer of SynerMed. “As a member of CLTCEC’s Innovation Grant team, we will carry out our collective vision of transforming the healthcare system to support the Accountable Care Act. A big part of that is keeping members healthy and in their homes. IHSS workers will help deliver care, implement healthy lifestyle programs, and report changes in conditions to healthcare professionals.”

SynerMed provides state-of-the-art technology through CONNECT, an integrated virtual healthcare community that will allow the high-touch teams of healthcare professionals to coordinate high quality care.

Other partners include the United Healthcare Workers West, LA Care Health Plan, Health Plan of San Mateo, the Department of Employment and Human Services, and the University of California at San Francisco’s Center for Health Professions.

About SynerMed

SynerMed is a leading Managed Services Organization (MSO) headquartered in Monterey Park, California. SynerMed is a physician-led and physician–driven organization, dedicated to innovating healthcare through an integrated system of tools and services that connects physicians, members, hospitals and health plans to coordinate care. Since its inception in 1995, SynerMed has been dedicated to improving access to quality care and reducing healthcare costs through state-of-the-art technology. SynerMed’s advanced technology is powered by CONNECT and its integrated suite of products: CONSULT, CHECKBOOK, SHARE, MATH, DIRECT, PLAN, STORE and COMPLEX CARE. Today, SynerMed is one of the largest Managed Services Organizations (MSO) in the United States, with a network of 10,000 providers who provide access to care for more than 700,000 members. The company’s physician-centric IPA model promotes growth and sustainability to help physicians remain independent and successful under healthcare reform. For more information about SynerMed, Inc., visit www.synermed.com.

About the California Long-Term Care Education Center

The California Long-Term Care Education Center helps to stabilize the caregiving industry to meet the rapidly growing public need for personal assistance. Through our pioneering efforts to develop a free healthcare career ladder for underprivileged communities, we are improving the lives of low-wage caregivers, seniors and persons with disabilities. The CLTCEC is the largest trainer of IHSS providers in California, serving over 5,000 people per year. Classes offered to students include English, Math, Computers, Job Readiness, and even Certified Nurse Aide classes. With offices in various counties throughout the state, the CLTCEC is the statewide charity that delivers long-term care training to those who would never be trained otherwise. The CLTCEC helps those patients who receive care receive the highest quality service and allows those we love to live at their own home, with the respect and dignity they deserve. For more information about CLTCEC, visit www.ihss.org.