Healthcare IT News - September 2007 - (Page 37)

www.HealthcareITNews.com September 2007 ■ Healthcare IT News 37 NEWSBRIEFS ExpERtS Say It hElpS hEalth plaNS achIEvE ExcEllENcE A federal report highlights HealthPartners and Kaiser Permanente as the best examples in the nation of what health plans can do to promote quality and efficiency. The National Business Coalition on Health released the “eValue8 Cornerstone Report” one year after President Bush traveled to Minnesota to sign an Executive Order to promote transparency and quality healthcare. The Report concludes: “Two of the health plans that consistently get the highest eValue8 scores each year are HealthPartners and Kaiser Permanente.” PHRs’ popularity is picking up Study: Adoption tied to features, ease and promotion. By PaTTy ENrado, Contributing Editor MERItaIN hEalth lauNchES NEW WEB oFFERINgS Buffalo, N.Y.-based Meritain Health, one of the largest providers of services for self-funded health plans, has launched a series of new communication tools to educate health plan members about Meritain’s Healthy Merits wellness program, as well as to encourage and promote healthier lifestyles. The plan’s executives say Meritain’s new multimedia education plan goes beyond enrollment materials to continuously engage and educate employees about health and wellness, and encourage them to access the numerous programs and educational resources offered through Healthy Merits. The adoption rate of payer-sponsored personal health records, or PHRs, is directly related to greater convenience, features and promotion, a recent survey of payers reveals. The informal survey by Healthcare IT News also showed that PHRs are just one way health plan members can access medical information electronically. Kaiser Permanente members in seven of eight regions can activate their PHRs through kp.org to access lab results, immunizations, allergies and past office visit summaries, refill prescriptions, schedule appointments online and securely e-mail their doctors. In some states, parents and SAN FRANCISCO – guardians of minors can access children’s medical records and e-mail their pediatricians. And Kaiser is rolling out the ability for teens to access portions of their medical record and e-mail their doctor and will soon add an “adult proxy” access, granting access to caregivers. Since August 2005, more than 1.55 million of Kaiser’s 8.7 million members have activated their PHRs and more than 1.1 million have viewed their information online, said spokeswoman Holly Potter. Pre-populated records and identical information being presented to doctor and patient have contributed to Kaiser’s high adoption rate and “overwhelming positive response” from members, she said. The Aetna CareEngine-powered, pre-populated PHR pilot was offered to 12 large employer groups with 450,000 eligible members in February 2007 Aetna’s CareEngine-powered, pre-populated personal health record pilot was offered to 12 large employer groups with 450,000 eligible members in February. It will be rolled out broadly next year. and will be rolled out broadly in 2008. Aetna is adding PHR interaction with electronic medical records and also search capabilities. As of June 30, overall use – by subscribers and their depen- dents – was measured at 11 percent, while use by subscribers was 22 percent. “PHR usage has exceeded our initial estimates,” said spokeswoman Elizabeth Sell. “We PHrs see page 52 Medicaid IT mistakes offer valuable lessons By PaTTy ENrado, Contributing Editor COLUMBUS, OH – As Ohio begins planning for Fla. MEdIcaId plaN adoptS NEW REpoRtINg SyStEM Florida-based Pediatric Associates Health Plan, a Medicaid health plan exclusively for children, has entered into an agreement to implement ikaSystems’ Web-based ikaProHEDIS system. ikaProHEDIS is a transactional health employer data information set (HEDIS) reporting system designed to enhance quality of service to members, reduce administrative costs and provide a competitive edge in the health insurance industry. At the health plan level, ikaProHEDIS identifies physicians and members due for HEDIS measures so that medical management staff can coordinate between the physicians and members to increase scores. its new Medicaid Information Technology System with EDS, North Carolina has released a request for proposal to restart its own delayed Medicaid IT project. While Ohio’s project is new and North Carolina is overcoming contract breaches with its terminated vendor, states are benefiting from lessons learned by others. Ohio gathered advice from the planners of Medicaid systems in Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Wisconsin is suffering from vendor delays by EDS. More than 200 staff members helped develop business requirements and define the RFP, said Cristal Thomas, assistant director of Medicaid for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Service. The implementation phase Cristal Thomas will include adequate staff time and requirements around data conversion and testing. “We have continued support and funding from the legislature and our governor,” Thomas said. Although there is no formal oversight, legislators are being kept in the loop, as is the Joint Committee on Medicaid Technology and Reform. An industry expert in Medicaid management projects said changing expectations are often the root of a project’s demise. Problems could be avoided if vendor and state are “absolutely crystal clear about expectations when the contract is signed,” he said. No ambiguities, realistic deadlines and an understanding of limitations are required. It’s also important to have vendors stand by their clients, especially when crises erupt, lEssoNs see page 40 okla. MEdIcaId lauNchES E-pREScRIBINg pRogRaM The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has partnered with Cerner to launch an electronic prescribing program for SoonerCare’s more than 600,000 members across the state. Providers for SoonerCare – Oklahoma’s Medicaid program – wrote almost two million prescriptions in the first six months of the fiscal year. “Oklahoma is one the first states to implement an e-prescribing program to such a large population,” said Mike Fogarty, OHCA’s CEO. More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: PaYerS 0907 California payers award $100M in P4P bonuses By rICHard PIzzI, Associate Editor SAN FRANCISCO – Health plans’ top pay-for-performance criteria Improved clinical outcomes Use of clinical guidelines Patient satisfaction Participation in disease management program Administrative efficiency Provider IT adoption N=57 Percent 0 ● Blue Cross of California says it paid $69 million in pay-for-performance bonuses to physician groups last year. The announcement follows one by Blue Shield of California, which plans to award $31 million in bonuses to medical groups and independent practice associations in California. The awards are linked to performance improvements. Approximately half of the payments are part of the Integrated Healthcare Association (IHA) pay-for-performance program which rewards providers for the quality of their healthcare services, including clinical care, patient experience and use of information technology, based on criteria developed by the IHA. The IHA comprises seven participating health plans: Aetna, Blue Shield of California, Blue Cross of California, Cigna, Health Net of California, PacifiCare and Western Health Advantage. BoNusEs see page 38 20 40 60 80 100 e ● Connect: GraPHS 0907 SOuRCE: HEAlTH INDuSTRY INSIgHTS, AN IDC COMPANY http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.kp.org http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=7689

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Healthcare IT News - September 2007

Contents Alaska Sweep SiCKO Debate Data Exchange Rx EDITH knows Hold That Script IT in the Sun Breathing Easy IT on the Menu Ambulatory EMRs Identity Crisis

Healthcare IT News - September 2007

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