Press Releases

AAHP-HIAA Selects RelayHealth As Preferred Vendor in Affinity Program

Ignagni: "Affinity Programs with Industry-Leading Organizations are Hallmark of the association's Solutions program"

AAHP-HIAA 'Solutions' Now Include Proven Secure Online Communication Service that Improves and Streamlines Health Care Delivery and Access

Washington, DC, December 2, 2003 — Continuing to highlight the importance of providing its members access to the latest in health care-specific technology solutions, AAHP-HIAA announced today that it has formed a new strategic alliance between its vendor affinity program, AAHP-HIAA Solutions, and RelayHealth Corporation, the leading provider of secure online health care communication services.

Health plans that supplement their existing service portfolios with convenient, secure, Web-enabled services enhance member recruitment efforts and retention. Recently released independent research findings confirm significant savings in health care costs and a shared preference for RelayHealth webVisits® among participating doctors and patients. "Our association's Solutions program continues its mission to provide AAHP-HIAA members with ready access to cutting-edge technologies from industry-leading vendors in all sectors," said AAHP-HIAA's President & CEO Karen Ignagni. "As our members adopt and cover proven cost-saving secure online communication services, consumers win by gaining access to streamlined, technology enhanced, high-quality, affordable health care," she continued. "Additionally, healthcare providers will also benefit from improved office efficiency because of a new form of reimbursement for non-urgent care."

"With clinical structure, and reimbursement from participating health plans, secure online conversations can enhance doctor-patient communication and improve continuity of care, especially for those with chronic illnesses," said Giovanni Colella, MD, president and chief executive officer of RelayHealth. "By streamlining non-urgent interactions, patients find RelayHealth saves them time, while increasing satisfaction and access to care. We anticipate that, like thousands of other users, the consumers that receive their health care coverage through participating AAHP-HIAA member companies will embrace this convenient, easy-to-use service."

"It all makes for an attractive and compelling solution for AAHP-HIAA to bring to its members, as evidenced by demonstrated RelayHealth successes with member companies," added executive chairman Wayne Moon, who joined RelayHealth in 2002, and previously served as chairman and chief executive officer of Blue Shield of California and as president and chief operating officer for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals.

AAHP-HIAA members interested in more information on RelayHealth's secure online communication solutions, and AAHP-HIAA membership benefits for adopting RelayHealth's offerings can visit the RelayHealth website at www.relayhealth.com or contact RelayHealth at 866-RELAY-ME (866-735-2963).

Please direct inquiries related to the AAHP-HIAA Solutions program to the AAHP-HIAA Business Advancement Team at (202) 778-3225, businessadvancement@aahp.org.

About AAHP-HIAA
(www.aahp.org)
AAHP-HIAA is the national trade association representing the private sector in health care. AAHP-HIAA's nearly 1,300 member companies provide health, long-term care, dental, disability, and supplemental coverage to more than 200 million Americans.

About RelayHealth Corporation
RelayHealth is the leading provider of secure online healthcare communication services linking patients, healthcare professionals, payors, and pharmacies. The RelayHealth® service improves and streamlines healthcare delivery and access through modular features like the webVisit® clinical consultation which tackle complex issues unique to healthcare, including clinical structure, practice workflow, and payor reimbursement. More secure and efficient than telephone or e-mail, RelayHealth combines HIPAA-ready messaging and eScript end-to-end electronic prescribing for to offer a seamless, comprehensive messaging platform available to healthcare professionals and their patients.