CHICAGO and WATERTOWN, Mass., July 08, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- YMCA of the USA (Y-USA), a leading community-based
nonprofit committed to improving the nation’s health, and athenahealth, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATHN), a leading provider of network-enabled services and mobile
applications for healthcare providers nationwide, today announced the organizations will work together to support and strengthen
the role of the community-based organization in the delivery of preventive services, including the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention
Program (YMCA’s DPP). Together, Y-USA and athenahealth will support local Ys and their healthcare partners as they manage and
refer patients with prediabetes to the YMCA’s DPP. The YMCA’s DPP is a twelve-month behavioral and lifestyle intervention
initiative targeting adults at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. athenahealth’s health information network and services will
allow the Y to connect its programs to over 78,000 clinical providers and expand the services and support it provides to
health-seekers in thousands of communities across the U.S.
News of athenahealth and Y-USA’s partnership follows a roundtable event held at a YMCA in Cleveland, OH yesterday by U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell, where she discussed the DPP. Following the event,
the Obama Administration issued a proposed rule that would expand the DPP within Medicare and would allow DPPs recognized by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to submit claims to Medicare for providing diabetes prevention services. The proposed
rule follows a recently released Certification of Cost Savings issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for the
YMCA’s DPP. Both announcements represent historic “firsts,” as the YMCA’s DPP is the first community-based preventive service
proven to reduce healthcare costs and improve health outcomes for people with diabetes.
“The YMCA’s DPP is one of the most tangible examples of how community integrated health may help reduce healthcare
costs and prevent chronic diseases like diabetes,” said Dr. Matt Longjohn, national health officer, Y-USA. “Today, in
preparation for the YMCA’s DPP’s coverage by Medicare, the Y is proud to announce that we will be partnering with athenahealth to
further increase the clinical integration of evidence-based Y programs. By integrating program data with athenahealth’s
network-enabled EHR and patient engagement services, our programs will become more accessible to healthcare providers and better
able to coordinate care at the community level with data-backed, targeted precision. Yesterday’s announcement from HHS
demonstrates that we must continue to build the infrastructure for Ys to become stronger parts of a community integrated healthcare
system. athenahealth is the natural, most future-proof partner for the job. This new collaboration will help the Y advance
its nearly 170-year-old mission in an era of healthcare transformation.
“Y-USA’s work in community integrated health is indicative of a trend we’ve seen across the healthcare continuum,” said Jonathan
Bush, CEO, athenahealth. “Care is moving out of the hospital and into more accessible, convenient, and cost effective
venues. The YMCA’s DPP is proof that community integrated health, delivered outside of traditional clinical settings, is
highly effective in delivering strong health outcomes. We believe the Y is a disruptive force shaking up the way that we
treat the most insidious chronic diseases. We look forward to working in the community with this venerable institution to manage
chronic disease natively with the most forward-looking technology, and we are committed to generating results. The Y’s
mission to address gaps in care, in order to improve outcomes while lowering cost, is shared by athenahealth and is essential to
unbreak healthcare.”
About the Y
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living
and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 22 million men, women and children – regardless of age, income or
background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being and provide opportunities
to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has the long-standing relationships and
physical presence not just to promise, but to deliver, lasting personal and social change. ymca.net.
About athenahealth, Inc.
athenahealth is a leading provider of network-enabled services for electronic health records (EHR), revenue cycle management and medical billing, patient engagement, care coordination, and population health management, as well as Epocrates and other
point-of-care mobile apps. We connect care and drive meaningful, measurable results for more than 78,000 health care providers
nationwide. For more information, please visit www.athenahealth.com.
Forward Looking Information
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding the goals and desired effects of
the partnership between athenahealth and the YMCA, including the expansion of the YMCA’s services. Forward-looking statements are
not promises or guarantees of future performance, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond
our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or
revise these forward-looking statements. For additional information regarding these and other risks faced by us, refer to our
public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), available on the Investors section of our website at www.athenahealth.com and on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.
Contact Info: Holly Spring athenahealth, Inc. (Media) media@athenahealth.com 617-402-1631 Dana Quattrochi athenahealth, Inc. (Investors) investorrelations@athenahealth.com 617-402-1329 Kevin Dietz YMCA of the USA kevin.dietz@ymca.net 312-419-8418
