Healthcare IT News - October 2007 - (Page 45)

www.HealthcareITNews.com pAyERS October 2007 ■ Healthcare It News 45 UPMC Continued from page 43 entered data – and the PHR delivers color-coded recommendations, or Reminders for Better Health. “Our leadership wanted to make sure that we built a PHR that was directly connected to our Ed McAllister mission of improving the health of our members,” said Hicks. “We use clinical staff to help us determine what’s meaningful in our data sets. The design happens within the medical team.” UPMC Health Plan, which has 500,000 members in its commercial and Medicare business, is continuing to roll out the Sharon Hicks PHR to other groups as they re-enroll and develop other functionalities, including incentives for its well population. “The openness of the application will allow us to develop the next generation of PHRs and integrate them with our current standalone programs,” said CIO Ed McCallister. “UPMC Health Plans’ decision to develop internally speaks to the relative immaturity of the marketplace,” said Lynne Dunbrack, program director for Health Industry Insights, an IDC company. “The market is still evolving and working toward achieving standards for PHRs.” n More at HealthcareItnews.com e Connect: UPMC 1007 MyCIGNa.com boasts new features By BErnIE MonEgaIn, Editor – CIGNA last month launched a new version of its myCIGNA.com Prescription Drug Price Quote tool that now offers CIGNA Pharmacy members real-time, plan-specific cost comparisons for generic, brand name and available therapeutic alternative medications. The cost comparisons cover 57,000 pharmacies nationwide, BLOOMFIELD, CT as well as CIGNA Tel-Drug home delivery pharmacy. Key features include: n True cost transparency: Rather than relying on national average or regional discount information on retail pharmacy prices, the tool displays side-by-side comparisons of exactly what members would pay for brand named medications, available generics and low cost therapeutic options at any of 57,000 local pharmacies based on their benefit plan, as well as the total cost of each medication. n Member-specific information: The tool provides pricing specific to the member using their benefit information including copays, coinsurance, deductibles, plan maximums and specific drug coverages. Special alerts are displayed for medications such as those that require prior authorizations, quantity limits or other clinical and safety issues such as potential drug interaction. n A new “Perspectives” message section: This feature is customized to the member’s searched medication and provides targeted health messages and links that highlight clinical information as well as tips regarding generic and therapeutic alternatives. n More at HealthcareItnews.com e Connect: CIGNa 1007 ● ● CoLorado Continued from page 43 clinical messaging system, provided by Axolotl, said Hopkins. Administrative efficiencies in the physicians’ office decrease the cost of healthcare. “We benefit because cost is built into our premium,” he said. “We know anecdotally we are eliminating dupliDick Thompson cative tests.” With administrative and clinical savings already demonstrated, Hopkins said, “Now we will get into using the system for quality.” Rocky Mountain Health Plans will now be able to extract data more expediently from QHN – rather than directly from paper charts from the physicians’ offices – to meet Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set, or HEDIS, measurements for quality improvement and performance. “Rocky Mountain Health Plan sees the value of information,” said Ray Scott, CEO of Axolotl. “They have been a strong supporter of Quality Health Network, and they’ll be able to benefit and contribute to its sustainability.” n More at HealthcareItnews.com e Connect: CoLoraDo 1007 ● e ● Connect: SSI 1007 http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.myCIGNA.com http://www.myCIGNA.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=7858 http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=7853 http://www.thessigroup.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=7855 http://www.healthcareitnews.com/eConnect.cms?id=7918

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Healthcare IT News - October 2007 Contents Global Harmony Telegrowth New Rules Keeping Tabs What's Free? PHR of Its Own Intelligent Closing Practice Management Paper Tiger

Healthcare IT News - October 2007

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