ChenMed to Add New Senior Medical Centers, Board Member in 2018

Today, ChenMed, an innovative senior health care provider, announced that it will add a new board member and enter new markets in 2018, after a year of significant momentum in which the company opened new senior medical centers, added new patients, and expanded its Board of Directors. ChenMed is a full-risk Medicare Advantage provider operating more than 40 practices across 10 markets in six states.

This year, ChenMed opened five new senior medical centers in Florida (Clearwater, Tampa, St. Petersburg), Louisiana (Metairie) and Virginia (Portsmouth). In 2018, ChenMed plans to expand operations in all current markets, plus open centers in four new cities. ChenMed senior medical centers provide access to high-quality, concierge-style care for some of the neediest patients. ChenMed focuses on preventative care and services including courtesy transportation, on-site specialists and medication dispensing, and, importantly, more face-to-face time with physicians.

“Concierge care should not be limited to those with the deepest pockets. At ChenMed, we have found that if we provide some of the neediest patients with high-touch, primary care we can keep them healthier, reduce their hospital days, and lower their costs,” said Chris Chen, MD, CEO of ChenMed. “In 2017, we experienced great success with this model, and, as a result, we were able to help more seniors have more healthy days.”

ChenMed also expanded its Board of Directors this year, adding two new members: Horst Shulze and Herbert Fritch. Schulze was the founding president and former COO of the Ritz-Carlton Group and currently serves as CEO of Capella Hotel Group. Fritch founded HealthSpring and helped the company grow into one of the nation’s largest Medicare Advantage plans before being acquired by Cigna.

In 2018, ChenMed will further strengthen its Board, adding Jeffrey Kang, MD, who served as ChenMed president (2015-2017), helping advance ChenMed’s strategic plan and its mission to bring better health care and superior health outcomes to seniors. Kang is an experienced physician executive with a diverse background ranging from running a full risk physician practice in Boston, to Chief Clinical Officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to Chief Medical Officer at Cigna, to senior vice president of Walgreens’ health and wellness services and solutions division. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

“As president of ChenMed, I’ve seen the power that this model has to transform health care for patients who need it most,” said Kang. “I’m quite honored to join the board and continue our great work to provide high-quality, value-based care to seniors across the country.”

“We are so grateful to Jeff for his continued service – especially as ChenMed works to become America’s leading primary care provider, transforming care of the neediest populations,” added Dr. Chen.

ChenMed’s model of high-touch care has proven to drive successful patient outcomes. A recent report released by ChenMed showed that its doctors spend 189 minutes face-to-face with each patient annually – more than nine times the national average. As a result, ChenMed rates of ER visits are 33.6 percent lower than the national average among Medicare beneficiaries. ChenMed patients also average 28 percent fewer hospital admissions and 25 percent fewer in-patient days than the average Medicare beneficiary.

About ChenMed 
For seniors most in need of care, high-quality health care is too often beyond reach. ChenMed was founded to bring concierge-style medicine – and better health outcomes – to the neediest populations. ChenMed serves seniors with low-to-moderate incomes, most managing multiple chronic conditions, in 10 U.S. markets through more than 40 senior medical centers.

ChenMed’s mission is to honor seniors with affordable VIP care that delivers better health. To do that, ChenMed relies on innovative technology and a talented, resourceful and compassionate team of providers.

Founded by Dr. James Chen, a Taiwanese immigrant and cancer survivor, the company sees patients enrolled in Medicare Advantage in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Virginia – and is rapidly growing. Its well-known brands include Chen Senior Medical Center, Dedicated Senior Medical Center, and JenCare Senior Medical Center.