East Penn Manufacturing Company Honored by NBCH for Employer Excellence in Health Care

Award recognizes efforts to improve quality and efficiency of health care delivery system

WASHINGTON – November 12, 2014 – East Penn Manufacturing Company was presented with the 2014 Employer Excellence Award by the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH) at its annual conference. The organization was recognized for its leadership and efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of the health care delivery system, control health care expenditures at the community level and improve employee health.

An active member of the Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH) for more than 20 years, East Penn is a private, family-owned company operating the largest single-site, lead-acid battery manufacturing facility in the world.

“The NBCH award recognizes East Penn Manufacturing’s leadership in partnering with health care providers and health plans to improve the quality and cost of health care for their employees and the community,” said Tom Croyle, president of LVBCH.

The second largest employer in Berks County, Penn., East Penn has a long history of being an employer of choice in the region. They received the “Top Places to Work in Pennsylvania” designation for 14 consecutive years due in part to the emphasis placed on providing affordable and comprehensive employee health benefits, as well as their focus on employee safety. 

  

Pictured L-R: Chuck Smithers (NBCH), Dawn Dreibelbis (Reading Health System), Vicki Doule (Capital BlueCross), Rick Jones (Capstone Health Consulting), Bob Johnston (East Penn), Tom Croyle (LVBCH), Cheryl DeMars (NBCH Board Chair) and Scott Fair (First Niagra/Banyan Consulting)

East Penn was also recently recognized as a Healthcare Hero by the Lehigh Valley Business Journal, honoring efforts of individuals and organizations that make a significant impact on the quality of health care in the Greater Lehigh Valley. East Penn has a dedicated on-site medical facility to provide occupational health care services including health and wellness screenings, audiometric testing, phlebotomy, blood pressure screening, vaccinations as well as some enhanced medical services such as diagnostic x-ray and physical therapy.

A key initiative for the company is the Primary Care Plus program, a successful collaboration between East Penn, The Reading Health System and Capital BlueCross. The program was designed to improve the quality of care delivered to East Penn’s employees and their families through clinically integrated, primary care accountable care.

Among the keys to the success of the collaborative effort is the focus on preventive services and mutually agreed upon quality measures. In addition, “the care navigation” team set up by The Reading Health System performs patient outreach on behalf of the Primary Care practices and coordinates with the disease management activities provided by Capital Blue Cross.

“What has been impressive to me is the willingness of our partners to roll up their sleeves and commit the resources that improve how primary care is delivered,” said Bob Johnston, Benefits Manager, East Penn Manufacturing Company. “The relationship we have established is ongoing so we continue to identify ways to coordinate improved care.”

Brian Klepper, NBCH CEO, commented, “As one of the largest purchasers of health care, employers play a critical role in improving our nation’s health care system by demanding quality and value in care delivery. East Penn is an excellent example of an employer driving market change through innovative programs and collaboration. We congratulate them on this award and applaud their commitment to improve the health care delivery system — and ultimately the health and well-being of their employees.”