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Biotech / Medical : Matria Healthcare (MATR) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: GREATMOOD who wrote (66)	10/30/1997 7:12:00 PM
From: GREATMOOD	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 220

To all: Matria Healthcare program satisfies patients while significantly saving HMOs money. ATLANTA, Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Matria Healthcare (Nasdaq: MATR) and Southern Health Plan (SHP), a 60,000 member federally qualified HMO, reported the results of a maternity wellness program offered to members in the Memphis, Tennessee area. SHP is a subsidiary of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Tennessee- Memphis. The maternity wellness program, jointly developed with Matria, was initially offered to members in 1993. Known as Precious Cargo, this voluntary program provides prenatal education, risk assessment, and psychosocial and case management support for pregnant members and obstetrical home care services for complicated pregnancies. In 1996, 51% of eligible members participated. Precious Cargo had a significant impact on improving pregnancy outcomes and reducing pregnancy related costs during that time period. According to Manesha Hathcock, RN, CCM, Manager of Case Management of SHP, "We looked at claims submitted for babies of mothers who participated in Precious Cargo and compared them with claims of non-participating members. We found that babies delivered by participating members had lower costs than those delivered by non-participating members. This was particularly evident for infants who remained in the nursery for longer than a normal newborn stay. These infants stayed in the nursery an average of 5.1 days if delivered by a participant compared with an average of 9.3 days if delivered by a non-participant. This shortened length of stay reduced our average nursery cost for participants by 41% and saved the health plan over $450,000." Frank Powers, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Matria, said, "The success of Precious Cargo is reflected not only by the reduced length of nursery stay and financial savings, but also by the very high patient satisfaction ratings of the services provided. We are pleased to have been selected by SHP as a partner to develop the Precious Cargo program to help improve pregnancy outcomes and we look forward to achieving even more impressive results in the future." In 1996, the program received a 96% satisfaction rating from participants. Matria Healthcare is the nation's leading provider of comprehensive obstetrical home care and maternity management services to HMOs, indemnity carriers and employers, with services delivered from 36 regional centers and over 40 additional sites of service. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including developments in the healthcare industry, third- party actions over which the Company does not have control, and regulatory requirements applicable to the Company's business, as well as other risks detailed from time to time in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SOURCE Matria Healthcare CO: Matria Healthcare; Southern Health Plan ST: Georgia, Tennessee IN: HEA INS SU: 10/30/97 14:43 EST prnewswire.com