Kern Health Systems Recognized as a Global Finalist for Project Management in the Health Care Industry
Contact: Jacquelyn Jans
Bakersfield, CA: The Project Management Institute (PMI) recently celebrated the recognition of Kern Health Systems’ Project Management Office (PMO) as a finalist for their “PMO of the Year” Award.
PMI is a global organization committed to the highest quality and standards within the Project Management profession. The PMO of the Year Award honors a PMO that has established a vision for value delivery and has had a positive and clear impact on business results.
The Project Management role helps Kern Health Systems achieve its annual goals through planning, organizing and facilitating effort among stakeholders both in the company and outside the company. In this way, Project Management is a central part of the company’s transformation and growth from keeping everyone focused on the same goal.
For instance, Kern Health Systems’ Health Homes Program (HHP) set out to provide members with complex medical conditions more timely access to care. Many of these patients were going to the emergency room for treatment that should have come from a personal care physician. To connect these members with appropriate care, Kern Health Systems rolled out a patient-centered medical home model at six locations across Kern County. The successful launch of the HHP program, across six locations in such a short time could not have occurred without Project Management’s leading the development, coordination and implementation of this program. The effort required collaboration with five different provider community organizations and more than 100 individuals in and outside Kern Health Systems.
Being named a finalist for this prestigious international award given the worldwide competition, comes from years of work to refine and improve the project management role at Kern Health Systems.
This commitment didn’t stop with Kern County. Kern Health Systems Project Management team organized a group of sister health plans from across California to create a community where PMO leaders can share experience and adopt best practices.
“To be recognized globally as one of the best in Project Management is an incredible achievement, one which we are extremely proud”, said Doug Hayward, CEO.
About Kern Health Systems
Kern Health Systems, the County Health Authority, is an independent public agency that governs Kern Family Health Care, the Health Plan of more than 286,000 members. As a public entity, Kern Health Systems’ mission is dedicated to improving the health status of its members through an integrated managed health care delivery system.