CVS Health’s Accordant gets NCQA disease management accreditation for 18 conditions

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health company Accordant has received NCQA Patient and Practitioner Oriented Disease Management Accreditation, the company announced Wednesday. The disease management accreditation was given for a number of Accordant’s  programs providing services to patients with rare chronic disease and other conditions on behalf of health plans, government-sponsored plans, labor groups, employers and third-party administrators, and covers 18 conditions, including epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, HIV, Crohn’s disease and others.

"We are pleased to receive this important accreditation from NCQA, which further validates our approach to providing high-quality and comprehensive disease management care and support for our patients with these rare, chronic conditions," CVS Specialty EVP Dr. Alan Lotvin said. "For more than 20 years, Accordant has been providing highly specialized care to patients to help them better manage their condition, improve health outcomes and help avoid unnecessary medical costs for both patients and payers."

CVS Health said that the accreditation indicates that a disease management program is dedicated to providing support, education and other help necessary to facilitating good outcomes and care. The standards are designed to help organizations achieve the best performance, increase adherence to care guidelines and create an environment for continued improvement, the company said.

"Our Accordant nurses are specially trained to provide disease-specific support to help prevent complications, improve our patients' total health and enhance quality of life," Accordant president Trip Hofer said. "In addition, Accordant's unique, proactive disease management approach helps anticipate shifts in patient needs as their condition progresses over time, which is integral in ensuring each patient receives the most clinically appropriate care and support along their health care journey."

Accordant has maintained NCQA disease management accreditations since 2003, and was awarded case management accreditation in 2016. Accordant’s disease management programs are led by specialized and trained nurses who provide comprehensive patient education, medication and symptom management, as well as coordination of patient care with other healthcare providers.

CVS Health said that its CVS Specialty division is the largest specialty pharmacy, providing advanced clinical services for eligible patients who require treatment for rare or complex conditions.

"NCQA's Disease Management Accreditation program is thorough and rigorous,” NCQA president Margaret O'Kane said. “It's designed to highlight only those programs that truly improve chronic care.’