SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Blue Shield of California announced today the appointment of Elmer Jones, M.D., FACP as medical director for Quality, Disease Management and Behavioral Health. Dr. Jones will be responsible for providing clinical oversight and guidance to the Quality, Disease Management, and Behavioral Health & Wellness Programs.
"Dr. Jones is an accomplished executive with more than 20 years of experience in case and disease management. Our programs will benefit from his knowledge and experience," said Dr. Meredith Mathews, senior vice president, chief medical officer.
Prior to joining Blue Shield, Dr. Jones was the vice president, Clinical Program and senior medical director at CareGuide where he developed models for clinical programs to advance quality improvements in the analysis and interpretation of healthcare data. Dr. Jones was also a consultant for the disease management division of McKesson Healthcare, and a medical director for CIGNA Healthcare TRI-MID Connecticut Market, where he championed many disease management and quality-improvement initiatives that resulted in measurable improved outcomes and improved use of fiscal resources.
Dr. Jones received a Bachelor of Science from California State University, a Master of Science from Columbia University in New York, and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Cincinnati. He is board certified in internal medicine and geriatrics medicine and is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP).
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California, an independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health plan with 3.3 million members,4,800 employees, and one of the largest provider networks in California.Founded in 1939 and headquartered inSan Francisco, Blue Shield of California offers a wide range of commercial and government products throughout the state.The companyhas contributed more than $125 million over the past four years to the Blue Shield of California Foundation - which was named one of BusinessWeek's 20 most generous corporate foundations. Contact your local agent or broker for more information about Blue Shield products and services, or visit the Blue Shield website at www.blueshieldca.com.
Contact: Angenette Lau
Corporate Communications
(415) 229-5150
Angenette.lau@blueshieldca.com
SOURCE Blue Shield of California
