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The Hawaii Medical Service Association's Preferred Provider Plan is the second in the nation to receive full accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. HMSA’s PPO
health plan receives
full accreditationStar-Bulletin staff
The national organization until recently issued accreditation only to health maintenance organizations. The first health plan to receive the new PPO accreditation was Medical Mutual of Ohio.
The new PPO Plan accreditation program recognizes continuous quality improvement and high standards for network quality, access and customer service, HMSA said.
NCQA quality experts conducted an in-depth review of the HMSA plan in December, evaluating areas of consumer protection, member service, access to care and provider credentialing.
Margaret E. O'Kane, NCQA president, said to achieve full accreditation, a PPO "must adhere to a rigorous set of requirements designed to keep patients safe and ensure that they have access to care and excellent service.
"It is a significant achievement and we commend any PPO that steps forward to participate in the process," she said.
Dr. Richard Chung, HMSA vice president of quality programs, said, "Accreditation for health care quality has become very important to employers and members alike."
An independent, not-for-profit organization, NCQA is dedicated to improving the quality of health care. Its directors include employers, consumer and labor representatives, health plans, quality experts, regulators and organized medicine representatives.
HMSA is the largest provider of health care coverage in Hawaii with more than 600,000 members.