Healthcare IT News - September 2007 - (Page 38)

38 Healthcare IT News ■ September 2007 payERS www.HealthcareITNews.com BoNusEs Continued from page 37 In 2006, the seven health plan members together awarded $55 million to physician groups participating in P4P programs. Blue Shield reports that they use the IHA standards to track physician organization performance on a range of clinical factors, including the immunization status of children in their care, control of HbA1c levels for patients with diabetes, and use of appropriate medications by those with asthma. “By giving health care providers financial incentives to increase performance on these In 2006, the seven health plan members together awarded $55 MIllIoN to physician groups participating in p4p programs. critical metrics, we hope over time to make a positive impact on how medicine is practiced in California,” said David Joyner, Blue Shield’s senior vice president of network management. The IHA recently announced statewide results indicating that efforts by Blue Shield and other health plans to reward performance, particularly on the use of information technology, has paid dividends in improved patient care. According to IHA’s tracking, medical groups that meet the standard for IT use also show significant improvement in clinical results, with an average 18 point difference between clinical scores for groups that use information technology effectively and those that do not. Blue Shield of California is a not-for-profit health plan with 3.2 million members, and an independent member of the Blue Shield Association. ■ More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: boNuSeS 0907 TECH BRIEFS ActiveHealth passes muster with Harvard Medical School Physicians on the Harvard Medical School faculty have reviewed and agree with the clinical content of the ActiveHealth’s Care Considerations and the company’s application of the evidence in the medical literature. “Our team found that there was a rigorous process by which the Care Considerations were created,” said Howard leWine, MD, instructor of medicine and head of the Care Consideration review panel at Harvard Medical School. New York City-based ActiveHealth Management is a clinically based, technology-driven health management services company. Its clients are health plans, employers and government payers. ● The right scheduling system. Great for you. Even better for your employees. Arkansas Blues renew BenefitFocus contract Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the largest health insurer in Arkansas, has renewed its four-year technology services contract with BenefitFocus for another four years. Charlestown, S.C.based BenefitFocus provides enrollment, billing and data exchange services for the health insurer. “Through these automation tools, we have experienced a significant return on investment which has increased administrative efficiencies, customer satisfaction and renewals, and strengthened relationships with our brokers,” said Bob Heard, Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s vice president of information technology infrastructure. MPV lands deal with Skagit Valley Medical Center Austin, Texas-based Medical Present Value has signed a five-year contract with Skagit Valley Medical Center, a 50physician multi-specialty group based in Mount Vernon, Wash. under the terms of the agreement, the group will use MPV’s financial tools and services to manage payer contracts, audit reimbursement and reduce bad patient debt. And at the center of everything you do. API’s labor resource management solutions ensure the right employee is at the right place at the right time so that you can better manage labor costs, improve morale and enhance care delivery. To learn more about our complete suite of time and attendance, staffing and scheduling, payroll/HR and workflow applications or to request the white paper “Staff Strategically with Automated Tools,” call 262-670-2733 or visit www.apisoftwareinc.com/hcitn. e ● Connect: aPI 0907 My Rx Choices to guide Premera members Premera Blue Cross is going online to offer personalized information to show its members how they could save an average of $350 per year in drug costs by using generic drugs. Premera’s Web-based tool is called My Rx Choices and is offered exclusively by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. in Franklin lakes, N.J. More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: aHIP 0907 ● For more information: 866.707.AHIP (2447) www.AHIPsolutions.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=7688 http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.apisoftwareinc.com/hcitn http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=7690 http://www.apisoftwareinc.com/hcitn http://www.AHIPsolutions.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/eConnect.cms?id=7729

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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