Private Healthcare Systems PPO Network to Include Scripps in Southern California

WALTHAM, MA -- 12/08/2004 -- Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS), the nation’s leading health care cost management company, today announced it added Scripps Clinic, Scripps Mercy Physician Partners, and Scripps Mercy Medical Group to the PHCS Network in Southern California.

As the nation’s largest proprietary PPO, the PHCS Network provides its customers and their members with first-rate network stability and accessibility to health care. Scripps has been providing San Diego residents with exceptional health care for 80 years. The health system includes five hospitals, 2,600 affiliated physicians, trauma, emergency and urgent care services, home health services, Well Being centers and outpatient facilities throughout the area.

Founded in 1924, Scripps Clinic is a multi-specialty, outpatient clinic network caring for patients at multiple locations throughout San Diego County including Torrey Pines, Del Mar, Carmel Valley, Encinitas, La Jolla, Rancho Bernardo, Rancho San Diego, San Diego and Santee. Scripps Clinic and its physicians are world-renown for research-driven care and multi-specialty expertise.

With medical offices in the San Diego communities of Hillcrest and Bonita, Scripps Mercy Medical Group is comprised of a team of board-certified physicians specializing in internal medicine, family practice and pediatrics. Since 2002, Scripps Mercy Medical Group, affiliated with Scripps Mercy Hospital, has been consecutively selected as the number one medical group in San Diego by the California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative.

Scripps Mercy Physician Partners is a physician business organization that was organized to improve patient access and to increase the viability of physician practices. Membership in Physician Partners is available to members of any Scripps hospital medical staff. Members have the option to participate in a variety of services to enhance revenue and practice efficiency.

“PHCS is very pleased to add Scripps to our PPO Network,” said Russ Moran, PHCS Executive Vice President, Networks. “The Scripps system has an outstanding reputation for both its research and medical services. With its addition, our members in the San Diego region now have access to even more choices within our quality Network of health care providers.”

About PHCS

For 19 years, Private Healthcare Systems has been meeting the network and care management needs of customers across the country. Corporate headquarters are in Waltham, Massachusetts, with regional offices located throughout the United States. PHCS is the second largest care management company in the nation as well as the largest proprietary PPO in the country. The PHCS Network includes nearly 450,000 providers and 4,200 facilities. PHCS is the first and only national PPO to earn four endorsements of quality from two independent, nationally recognized quality assurance organizations, NCQA and URAC.

Contact Information

Christine Martiny

PR

Private Healthcare Systems

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