Health Care Quality Leaders Announce 2011 International Health Promotion Awards

Care Continuum Alliance and URAC Partner for Global Event Dec. 5 to 6, in Rome, Italy; Nominations Accepted at www.aihpa.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The 2011 International Health Promotion Awards Symposium, which recognizes and promotes innovative programs from around the world that significantly improve health, will be in Rome, Italy, December 5-6, 2011. Nominations are being accepted now at www.aihpa.org and will be accepted until September 16, 2011.

URAC and the Care Continuum Alliance, two leaders in health care quality and innovation, have partnered to present this global awards program. These awards will find, promote and share real solutions that can be replicated worldwide and put into action immediately.

The awards support the understanding that pressing health problems cannot be addressed by one country or one group alone. By bringing successful programs to wider attention, the International Health Promotion Awards will empower organizations globally to take action and save lives.

"The International Health Promotion Awards fill an important need in global health efforts. By bringing together workplace and corporate-based programs with the community efforts that are meeting local health needs, we can help create partnerships and synergies," said Alan P. Spielman, President and CEO of URAC. "We want to be the voice of best practices across the health care spectrum and share them with the world."

This event will be attended by delegates from internationally recognized health care organizations, governmental agencies, charitable foundations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), health care associations and corporations.

"These awards recognize the importance of reaching people where they live and work to promote better health and reduce disease risk, especially at the population level," said Tracey Moorhead, President and CEO of the Care Continuum Alliance. "They also recognize the global nature of the challenges we face in health care and the benefits of sharing our experiences broadly to foster innovation and best practices."

A panel of expert judges comprising health care professionals and policymakers from around the world will evaluate nominee submissions. Awards will be given in two categories:

• International Community Health Awards honor organizations whose ideas in health promotion and disease prevention have made significant contributions to improving individuals' lives and well being in local communities. To help continue these efforts, the chosen program will also receive a $5,000 award.
• International Workplace Health Awards honor health promotion programs that optimize and maintain overall health and mitigate disease risk in the workplace.

Twelve finalists (six from each category) will receive a complimentary trip to Rome to present their programs at the Symposium where final award winners will be announced.

The IHPA program was established in 2010 and presented its first awards to a distinguished group of organizations including:

• IBM (United States)
• Intel Corporation (Ireland)
• MOL Group (Hungary)
• Basic Health International (United States and El Salvador)
• Centene Corporation (United States)
• Naankuse Clinic (Namibia)

For more information, please contact Jessica Lutz, URAC at +1-202-326-3967 (USA ET) or communications@urac.org; or the Care Continuum Alliance, at +1-202-737-5980 (USA ET) or info@carecontinuum.org.

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About the Care Continuum Alliance
The Care Continuum Alliance represents more than 200 organizations and individuals and aligns all stakeholders along the continuum of care toward improving the health of populations. Through advocacy, research and education, The Care Continuum Alliance advances population-based strategies to improve care quality and value and to reduce preventable costs and improve quality of life for individuals with and at risk of chronic conditions. Learn more at http://www.carecontinuum.org.

About URAC
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.