RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC USA -- HIT/HIPAA UPDATE NEWS SERVICE(TM) -- AUGUST 2, 2006: As healthcare inflation continues to grow at a staggering double digit pace, some employers are exploring innovative strategies to rein costs, often reducing, even flattening premium increases to net millions of dollars in savings to the employer's bottom line. Two secret weapons include (1) an on-site or contracted physician(s) who practices at the employer-owned clinic and extends services to workers and their families, and (2) access to clinical data through electronic health records.

Self-insured employers are increasingly exploring personal health records (PHRs) and electronic health records (EHRs) to assist in medically managing employees with chronic illnesses and rewarding physicians through pay-for-performance compensation plans.

In this 90-minute seminar, you will learn:

• The dramatic story of one employer with statistics that will make you a believer in customized case management.
• What is involved in setting up a medical management system in your business?
• What are the capital outlay and monthly expenditures in a medical management program?
• What healthcare premium savings should you expect in a medical management program?
• What skills and clinical backgrounds do employers look for when hiring a medical management team?
• What is the typical salary and benefits program for on-site clinicians?
• Can you be an employer-contracted physician and still run a practice?
• What privacy and security processes need to be in place before opening an in-house clinic?
• How do you get employees to participate without violating their privacy or relationships with existing providers?
• How long does it take to get a medical management program up and running?

• Francois de Brantes is the National Coordinator for Bridges to Excellence where he supervises the implementation of Bridges to Excellence programs in different regions in the country. He is also responsible for creating and developing new programs for Bridges to Excellence such as the emerging Internal Medicine Care Link in collaboration with the American Board of Internal Medicine and the Spine Care Link in collaboration with the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Mr. de Brantes earned a Masters in Finance and Taxation at the University of Paris IX - Dauphine, and he earned an MBA at the Tuck School of Business Administration at Dartmouth College.
  
  
• Michael S. Bryant, MD, FACS, is President, Sandhills Physicians IPA, and also a practicing licensed general surgeon in thoracic, vascular, trauma and critical care. He has been widely published in notable journals including the Journal of Neurosurgery, Journal of Pediatric Surgery, and the Journal of Current Surgery. Dr. Bryant received his MD from the University of Louisville in 1982, completed his surgical residency at the University of Jacksonville, Fl, in 1986, and was chief resident, General Surgery, University of Jacksonville in 1990. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Upjohn Award, the Thadeus Moseley award, and "Best Teaching Resident" award from the University.
  
  
• J. Dwight Miller, CPA, is the Chief Financial Officer for the Public Works Commission of Jacksonville, NC. As the former VP for the Georgia and SC Division of United Cities Gas Company, he brings more than 30 years of utility experience. It is his responsibility to measure and manage costs including health care costs of employees. He brings remarkable statistics on how improved health and accurate health data reporting has delivered measurable improvement to the city's costs and bottom line.
  
  
• Moderator, Carolyn P. Hartley is President, CEO of Physicians EHR based in Cary, NC. She also is editor-in-chief of "The Physicians eHealth Report," and lead author of several books for AMA, including the forthcoming book, "The Technical and Financial Guide to EHR Implementation." (AMA 2006.)