News
American Specialty Health Complementary Health Care Providers Discuss Risk Management and Other Topics at 6th Annual Conference on Clinical Quality
SAN DIEGO (Nov. 21, 2005) - More than 75 clinicians and health professionals from 21 states gathered in San Diego for the sixth annual Conference on Clinical Quality, hosted by American Specialty Health, the nation's leading complementary health care organization.
Consultants represented the specialties of chiropractic, acupuncture, dietetics, massage therapy, and naturopathy at the conference, which covered issues of importance to complementary health care providers, and what ASH is currently doing to support its provider networks.
Presenters included George DeVries, chairman and president of ASH, and Douglas Metz, DC, ASH's Chief Medical Officer, who provided details about the company's 2004 Member Satisfaction Survey. Attendees also heard presentations about the HealthyBacks 2020 initiative. Dean Morris, Director of Technical Affairs for dietary supplement manufacturer Nature's Way, presented on utilization and risk management associated with the use of herbs and other botanical products.
Other presentations included panel discussions on risk management, featuring Stephen Perle, DC, of the Bridgeport College of Chiropractic; chiropractor Michael J. Stahl; and Marilyn Allen of the American Acupuncture Council.
Highlights of the conference included focus groups which centered on providers' use of ASH Link, ASH's interactive provider Web site, and ASH's 2004 Provider Satisfaction Survey. In each focus group, participants identified the five most important issues facing providers, and examined possible solutions.
After the conference, 21 of the participating attendees, who are also members of ASH's Technical Assessment and Clinical Consensus Committee, met to discuss and deliberate various techniques and procedures. National and state professional associations provided representatives to participate in a forum on issues related to techniques, procedures, and other issues related to their individual specialties, including representatives from Los Angeles College of Chiropractic, National College of Naturopathic Medicine, the American Dietetic Association, the New York State Chiropractic Association, and the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.
ASH is the nation's largest organization for nation's largest organization for complementary health care benefit, health education, and wellness programs, measured in terms of annual revenues, members/insured, employees, and contracted health plans. Its affiliate, American Specialty Health Plans of California (ASH Plans) is the state's first and largest specialized health plan for chiropractic and acupuncture benefit programs, providing programs to full-service health plans and employer groups. ASH administers benefit programs for over 12 million members and affinity discount programs for over 75 million members.
For more information, visit ASH online at ASHCompanies.com