SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Carl E. Heard, M.D., M.M.M. has been named medical director of Saint Mary’s Health Plans (SMHP). Heard will lead the statewide Health Plans medical management initiatives with a focus on utilization management of hospital and acute care, pharmacy and specialty care services. Additionally, he will actively work with northern Nevada’s provider community to communicate quality initiatives and cost effectiveness priorities in the era of health care reform to assure the best value and outcomes for Saint Mary’s Health Plans members.
Dr. Heard is a graduate of the Medical University of South Carolina and completed his residency in family practice medicine at the University of California, Irvine. He also holds a master’s degree in medical management from the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business. Dr. Heard has more than 25 years of clinical and medical management experience, including consulting and practicing at health systems in California and Nevada. His clinical practice experience includes affiliations with University Medical Center in Las Vegas, Valley Health Systems in California and most recently, Carson-Tahoe Regional Healthcare. Additionally, Dr. Heard has served on a multitude of advisory boards, associations and maintained medical leadership positions in both California and Nevada.
For more information about SMHP, visit www.saintmaryshealthplans.com or contact your broker or a Saint Mary’s Health Plans Representative at 1-888-840-9080.
About Saint Mary’s Health Plans
Saint Mary’s Health Plans (SMHP) was established in Reno, Nev. in 1993, initially as a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) affiliated with Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center. Through substantial growth it now consists of Point-of-Service health plans, Saint Mary’s Preferred Health Insurance Company, Preferred Health Care Network (PHCN), CDS Group Health and HealthFirst – an HMO/POS that is nationally accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). SMHP’s access to network providers includes 34 hospitals and over 3,500 providers statewide, in addition to providers outside of Nevada through network lease arrangements. For more information, visit www.saintmaryshealthplans.com.
About Dignity Health (formerly Catholic Healthcare West)
Dignity Health, headquartered in San Francisco, CA, provides integrated, patient and family centered care to more than five million people annually. It is the fifth-largest health system in the country with nearly 10,000 physicians and 55,000 employees across Arizona, California, and Nevada. Through its network of 115 ancillary care sites and 40 acute care hospitals, Dignity Health is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable health care services with special attention to the poor and underserved. In 2011, Dignity Health provided more than $1.4 billion in charity care, community benefit, and unreimbursed patient care. For more information, please visit our website at www.dignityhealth.org.
