www.leapfroggroup.org - The Leapfrog Group is a voluntary program aimed at mobilizing employer purchasing power to alert America’s health industry that big leaps in health care safety, quality and customer value will be recognized and rewarded. Among other initiatives, Leapfrog works with its employer members to encourage transparency and easy access to health care information as well as rewards for hospitals that have a proven record of high quality care. Click here to access the SCBCH Regional Roll-Out Leader Leapfrog webpage.
www.hc21.org - HealthCare 21 Business Coalition is a non-profit, member driven organization committed to improving the quality and cost of healthcare in Tennessee and the surrounding region.
www.nbch.org - The National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) is a national, non-profit, membership organization of employer-based health care coalitions. NBCH and its members are dedicated to value-based purchasing of health care services through the collective action of public and private purchasers. NBCH seeks to accelerate the nation's progress towards safe, efficient, high-quality health care and the improved health status of the American population. SCBCH is a member of NBCH.
www.evalue8.org - eValue8 is a product of the National Business Coalition on Health designed to assess the quality of health plans. SCBCH uses eValue8 to define vendor performance expectations and to evaluate their performance.
www.nbgh.com - The National Business Group on Health is devoted to representing the perspective of large employers and providing practical solutions to its members' most important health care problems. Recognized as a leading voice of large employers, the Business Group represents over 265 members on their most important health issues.
www.qualityforum.org - The National Quality Forum (NQF) is a not-for-profit membership organization created to develop and implement a national strategy for health care quality measurement and reporting. The NQF aims to improve health care in America through the endorsement of consensus-based national standards for measurement and public reporting of healthcare performance data. NQF promotes health care that is safe, timely, beneficial, patient-centered, equitable, and efficient.
www.ahrq.gov – The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is the lead federal agency charged with supporting research designed to improve the quality of health care, reduce its cost, and broaden access to essential services. AHRQ's broad programs of research bring practical, science-based information to medical practitioners and to consumers and other health care purchasers.
www.cdc.gov – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strives to protect people’s health and safety, provide reliable health information, and improve health through strong partnerships in the United States and throughout the world. The CDC monitors health, detects and investigates health problems, conducts research to enhance prevention, develops and advocates public health policies, implements prevention strategies, promotes healthy behaviors, fosters safe and healthful environments, and provide leadership and training.
www.hhs.gov - The Department of Health And Human Services (HHS) is the United States government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. HHS houses public health agencies such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). HHS also houses the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs, providing health care to about one in every four Americans. The South Carolina Business Coalition on Health has been recognized as a Community Leader by Secretary Michael Leavitt and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services for our effort in achieving the four cornertones of value-driven health care.
www.nih.gov - The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research. Helping to lead the way toward important medical discoveries that improve people’s health and save lives, NIH scientists investigate ways to prevent disease as well as the causes, treatments, and even cures for common and rare diseases.
www.healthfinder.gov - healthfinder.gov is an award-winning Federal Web site for consumers, developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services together with other Federal agencies. Since 1997, healthfinder.gov has been recognized as a key resource for finding the best government and nonprofit health and human services information on the Internet. Healthfinder.gov links to carefully selected information and Web sites from over 1,500 health-related organizations.
www.healthypeople.gov - Healthy People 2010 provides a framework for prevention for the Nation. It is a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats. Healthy People 2010 challenges individuals, communities, and professionals to take specific steps to ensure that good health, as well as long life, are enjoyed by all. Health People 2010 goals include increasing quality and years of healthy life and eliminate health disparities.
www.healthysc.gov - The Healthy South Carolina Challenge, a results-oriented initiative that will motivate each of us to start making choices that can significantly improve our health and well-being. The goals of Healthy South Carolina Challenga are to increase the association in the minds of South Carolinians between physical activity, BMI statistics and smoking rates with rates of chronic disease, to generate a competitive spirit among the counties in South Carolina to result in healthy changes and healthier lives, and to encourage collaboration and a sense of shared responsibility among different resources within a county.
www.scdhec.gov –The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) promotes and protects the health of the public and the environment. SC DHEC operates health and environmental regional offices, as well as local health departments and clinics to ensure that the many programs and services provided will meet the needs of local areas.
MedlinePlus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. Preformulated MEDLINE searches are included in MedlinePlus and give easy access to medical journal articles. MedlinePlus also has extensive information about drugs, an illustrated medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and latest health news.