Gentiva grows network business in Colorado
By HME News Staff
Updated Sun February 23, 2003
February 24, 2003
MELVILLE, N.Y. - Gentiva Health Services gained access to a nice chunk of business in February when its homecare network - which coordinates DME, IV, O&P, respiratory therapy and nursing services - signed a statewide contract as a preferred provider for Sloans Lake Managed Care.
CareCentrix will manage and coordinate the full-range of home care services for Sloans Lake.
While a number of provider networks, including HME networks Legend Healthcare and the Coram Resource Network, couldn't cut the competition or signed unprofitable contracts and went out of business, CareCentrix has grown steadily in recent years.
Since debuting in 1996 when Gentiva signed the largest capitated deal in the home care industry with Cigna Healthcare, CareCentrix has added 2,500 to 3,000 provider locations and now handles 16 managed care contracts. Apria Healthcare provides much of CareCentrix's DME and respiratory therapy needs.
Gentiva President Al Perry sees future for growth for CarCentrix, but acknowledges the company sometimes has to overcome some "historic negative experience" due past failures by other networks.
Nevertheless, "We are seeing a lot of interest and in some degree it's due to the caregiver shortage," Perry said.
Comments