RMS Disease Management Services (RMS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of DaVita, again has received full Patient and Practitioner Oriented Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for its Renal Disease programs.

"NCQA's Disease Management accreditation program is thorough and rigorous. It is designed to highlight only those programs that truly improve chronic care," said NCQA President Margaret E. O'Kane. "RMS is to be commended for being one of the first organizations in the nation to come forward to be re- accredited."

"RMS delivers a comprehensive disease management program with high clinical value that supports the efforts of providers across the country," said Allen R. Nissenson, RMS' National Medical Director. "Our patients, who consistently experience improved clinical outcomes, are the ultimate benefactors of this approach. To receive full accreditation is further proof that our program has attained the highest level of quality."

"RMS recognizes the value to our health plan customers of achieving NCQA accreditation," stated Sue Scott, VP of Non-Clinical Services for RMS. "Several of our customers include NCQA accreditation as a contract goal," said Frank Basile, RMS General Manager. "They can concentrate on other parts of their programs, knowing that RMS is delivering the highest quality for their renal patients. In addition, it is an incredible honor to be the very first renal disease management organization to achieve re-accreditation," he concluded.

Earning NCQA DM Accreditation is an indication that a DM program is dedicated to giving patients and/or practitioners the systems support, education and other help necessary to ensure good outcomes and good care. NCQA DM Accreditation is a voluntary review process, NCQA's DM Accreditation program is designed to help purchasers to evaluate DM programs and to improve patient care and service. NCQA Accreditation standards are purposely set high to encourage organizations to continuously enhance their quality. NCQA DM Accreditation standards are intended to help organizations achieve the highest level of performance possible, reduce patient risk, and create an environment of continuous improvement.

RMS' re-accreditation was effective August 24, 2005 and extends through August 23, 2008. RMS coordinates the care of approximately 3,000 people with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) nationally for private health plans. As part of its comprehensive approach to patient care, RMS often works with people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) before they need dialysis in an effort to slow the progression to ESRD and to prepare patients in the best way possible for dialysis.

NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations and manages the evolution of HEDIS®, the performance measurement tool used by more than 90 percent of the nation's health plans. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information through the Web and the media in order to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choices.

RMS has teamed with nephrologists since 1997 to create a nationwide renal care delivery system that provides high-quality, cost-effective care for patients with chronic kidney failure and ESRD, while offering predictable costs for health plans. Over the past eight years it has become the nation's leading provider of chronic kidney disease management services. For more information on RMS Disease Management Inc., visit the RMS Website at www.rms-dm.com.

SOURCE: RMS Disease Management Services