Press Releases: Georgia
February 22, 2002
The American Medical Group Association recognizes Kaiser Permanente of Georgia's medical group for exemplary performance
The Southeast Permanente Medical Group receives AMGA Medical Group Preeminence Award
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Southeast Permanente Medical Group, Inc. (TSPMG), the physicians group that treats Kaiser Permanente of Georgia members, has been selected to receive the American Medical Group Association's (AMGA) 2002 Medical Group Preeminence Award. TSPMG joins the ranks of previous AMGA award recipients that include the Colorado Permanente Medical Group, Lovelace Health System, Northeast Arkansas Clinic, and Watson Clinic Foundation.
The AMGA's coveted Medical Group Preeminence Award honors exceptional leadership in AMGA member medical groups and is presented annually to an AMGA member group or IPA physician administrator leadership team for the following measurements:
- Exceptional leadership
- Innovation and vision
- Contributions to the advancement of quality
- Effective health care delivery practices and structure
- Outstanding contributions to the local public community in which the medical group is located
Included among AMGA's member roster is The Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Foundation, The Everett Clinic, Loma Linda University Health Care, and Henry Ford Medical Group.
AMGA's Executive Committee recognized the leadership team from The Southeast Permanente Medical in Atlanta for a successful turnaround. TSPMG's efforts resulted in markedly increased service levels and appointment capacity. In addition, the group pioneered the hospitalist concept. In 2000, the medical group achieved the "first in the nation" rating on three NCQA quality measures, "best in class" in 10 areas, and became Atlanta's first health plan with an "excellent" NCQA accreditation for both its commercial and Medicare products.
"This group overcame amazing odds to realize such a remarkable turnaround," said Donald W. Fisher, PhD, AMGA's president and CEO. "We were especially impressed by their ability to maintain a high level of quality while in the midst of such a thoroughgoing transformation. The breadth of the accomplishment of this leadership team is an inspiration to all struggling medical groups."
Francis J. Crosson, MD, of Kaiser Permanente's national Permanente Federation, nominated TSPMG Medical Director Bruce Perry, MD, and his medical group for the award. "The Preeminence Award is given to medical groups that demonstrate outstanding leadership in delivering high standards of patient care and those who raise the bar as an innovator in other aspects of managing a business," said Dr. Crosson. "The Southeast Permanente Medical Group has distinguished itself through visible dedication to quality care and services and attention to affordability of care for the citizens of metropolitan Atlanta."
TSPMG's leadership team consist of Bruce C. Perry, MD, MPH, Medical Director; William Boddie, MD, Associate Medical Director; Debra Carlton, MD, Associate Medical Director; Lee Jacobs, MD, Associate Medical Director; Yancy Phillips, MD, Associate Medical Director; and Michael Doherty, MD, Associate Medical Director. The goals of their turnaround plan were to: (1) change the culture to one of physician ownership and empowerment, and (2) improve the overall efficiency and effectiveness in providing health care.
Dr. Perry and his team accepted the award on Friday, February 22, at the AMGA's three-day National Conference on Physician-Directed Health Care in San Diego, California.
About Kaiser Permanente of Georgia
Kaiser Permanente Georgia is the state's largest nonprofit health plan, providing comprehensive health care services to more than 282,000 members through nine medical facilities in metro Atlanta, and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians.About the American Medical Group Association
AMGA is an association that represents medical groups, including some of the nation's largest integrated health care delivery systems. AMGA's mission is to shape the health care environment by advancing high quality, cost-effective, patient-centered, and physician-directed health care. The members of AMGA deliver health care to more than 50 million patients in 40 states, including 15 million capitated lives. The average AMGA member group has 186 physicians and 12 satellite locations. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA, AMGA is the strategic partner for medical groups providing a comprehensive package of benefits, including political advocacy, educational and networking programs and publications, benchmarking data services, and financial and operations assistance.
Kaiser Permanente is the state of Georgia's largest nonprofit health plan, serving the health care needs of Atlanta metro area residents for 22 years. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia, Inc. currently provides comprehensive health care services to approximately 275,000 members through 15 medical facilities in a 28-county service, and a network of affiliated hospitals and physicians. The Health Plan provided more than $5 million in community benefit programs and services.
