Seattle - Qualis Health, a Seattle-based healthcare quality improvement organization, announced its strategic acquisition of Outlook Associates, Inc., a nationwide healthcare information systems and operations improvement consulting firm.
Qualis Health provides consulting and management services focused on improving the quality, safety, and value of healthcare for government and private sector clients. The acquisition will allow Qualis Health to enhance its core competencies in healthcare quality improvement and medical management by leveraging Outlook Associates’ expertise in healthcare information systems and operations.
“Qualis Health’s acquisition of Outlook Associates is a key step in enhancing our capacity to improve the quality of healthcare delivery and health outcomes,” said Jonathan R. Sugarman, MD, MPH, President and CEO of Qualis Health. “It’s become clear that information technology will play an increasingly important role in improving healthcare.
“This step will allow us to expand our capabilities and better serve our customers and meet our mission, now and in the future,” Sugarman said.
Outlook Associates focuses its healthcare services in the areas of information systems and technology, operations improvement, quality and compliance, and research planning and development. The company has served health plans, hospitals, medical groups, MSOs, state and county health systems, safety-net providers, and community-based organizations since 1991.
Outlook Associates will be a fully-owned subsidiary of Qualis Health and will operate from offices in Seattle and in Tustin, California. Patricia Lohman, Outlook Associates founder, will serve as President of Outlook Associates, LLC.
“As we began to consider taking Outlook Associates to the next level, it was important for us to find a partner that shared our values to provide ethical, high quality services with a primary focus on improving patient care and health system efficiency,” Lohman said. “Based on nearly a decade of interaction with Qualis Health, we think that this will be an excellent match that will result in the generation of great value to our clients.”
Examples of Outlook Associates Clients:
Healthcare Providers
- Johns Hopkins HealthCare (Glen Burnie, MD)
- Good Samaritan Hospital (Los Angeles, CA)
- Orthopaedic Associates of Grand Rapids (Grand Rapids, MI)
Health Plans
- Wellcare HMO (Tampa, FL)
- Molina Medical Centers (Long Beach, CA)
Government/Other
- County of Los Angeles, Department of Mental Health (Los Angeles, CA)
- Tucker Alan, Inc. (Washington, D.C.)
Outlook Associates has an excellent reputation in many emerging areas of health information technology. The organization has published a highly-regarded guide that assists small to mid-size medical practices in evaluating and selecting electronic medical record (EMR) systems. Outlook Associates also recently released a follow-up guide designed to help physician practices successfully implement an EMR after a system has been selected.
Outlook Associates has worked in many states supporting Medicare-funded quality improvement organization (QIO) efforts to accelerate the implementation of electronic medical records (EMRs) as part of the Doctors Office Quality-Information Technology (DOQ-IT) program.
Sugarman said that Outlook’s focus on safety-net providers and community-based organizations was a key factor in the decision to acquire Outlook.
“As a mission-driven not-for-profit organization with a passion for improving healthcare, Qualis Health is especially focused on improving care for vulnerable and underserved populations. Outlook’s experience in these areas will enhance our ability to provide services to those with the greatest needs.”
Examples of Outlook Associates clients delivering care to vulnerable populations include Southern Indian Health Health Council (Alpine, CA), Venice Family Clinic (Venice, CA), and Northern Sierra Rural Health Network (Nevada City, CA) among others.
Outlook Associates
Outlook Associates (www.outlook-associates.com) was founded in 1991 with the goal of providing quality, ethical consulting services to health care organizations across the country. Their work contributes to the overall enhancement of national and regional health systems while promoting and supporting the improved health of individuals and communities.
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