MEMPHIS, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. announced today that Ann Gaffey has been appointed the company's senior vice president of health care risk management.  In her new role, Gaffey will direct Sedgwick's risk management and patient safety consultation practice serving hospitals, physician groups, health care systems, insurance companies, and other health care organizations.    

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Gaffey brings to Sedgwick more than 25 years of experience in health care, patient safety, clinical risk management, and quality improvement.  She most recently served as president of Healthcare Risk and Safety Strategies, LLC, a consultancy serving health care organizations across the continuum of care. 

A licensed registered nurse and frequently published author and speaker on health care risk management and patient safety, Gaffey is also an adjunct professor at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences and the School of Nursing at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C. 

"Ann Gaffey brings to our world-class health care risk management and patient safety consulting practice a wealth of expertise and a commitment to customizing solutions that meet each client's unique needs," said David A. North, president and CEO of Sedgwick.  "Appointing a seasoned professional of Ann's caliber to direct our health care risk management practice underscores our commitment to excellence as a leading provider of comprehensive claims and risk management services for the health care industry."

Sedgwick's health care risk management (HCRM) practice is designed to create high reliability solutions for the risk management, quality, and patient safety challenges facing health care organizations today.  Using proactive risk assessments, data analytics, compliance studies, and loss control metrics, Sedgwick's HCRM specialists partner with clients in the health care arena to improve their performance and help them prevent medical errors and omissions that can result in patient injuries and financial losses related to medical malpractice claims and compliance issues.

To learn more about Sedgwick's health care risk management and patient safety services, contact Ann Gaffey at 866-225-9951 or ann.gaffey@sedgwick.com.

About Sedgwick
Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. is the leading North American provider of innovative claims and productivity management solutions.  Sedgwick and its affiliated companies deliver cost-effective claims, productivity, managed care, risk consulting, and other services to clients through the expertise of more than 10,000 colleagues in 195 offices located in the U.S. and Canada.  The company specializes in workers' compensation; disability, FMLA, and other employee absence; managed care; general, automobile, and professional liability; warranty and credit card claims services; fraud and investigation; structured settlements; and Medicare compliance solutions. Sedgwick and its affiliates design and implement customized programs based on proven practices and advanced technology that exceed client expectations. For eight years in a row, Sedgwick has been awarded the distinguished Employer of Choice® certification, the only third-party administrator (TPA) to receive this designation. In 2011 and 2012, the company was named the Best Overall Large Account TPA by buyers of risk services through an independent survey conducted by Business Insurance.  For more, see www.sedgwick.com.

SOURCE Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.