BCBSA News Media Tip Sheet (Quality)
November 11, 2010
Quality
The Blues Partners With Providers To Improve Quality For Members
High quality care is the goal; collaboration is the key. That’s why Highmark, Inc. partnered with both hospitals and physicians through its QualityBLUESM program to improve the quality care for its members. Based on clinical and performance measures, this pay-for-performance program has since resulted in 658 less days in the hospital, a reduction of 760 Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs), lowered costs and saved lives in 2009. Nationally, HAIs are blamed for 99,000 deaths per year.
Other Blue Cross Blue Shield companies are having successes improving quality of care, saving lives and reducing costs for consumers. For example, the Alabama Hospital Quality Initiative developed by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama has helped reduce HAIs by 20 percent.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Collaborative Quality Initiatives (CQIs) equip providers with data-driven progress reports that compare the outcomes of various procedures. This enables providers to determine the most effective way to reduce surgical complications, readmissions, length of stay and even deaths for some of the most common and costly procedures or treatments.
For more information on these and other Blue Cross and Blue Shield company programs that are helping to improve quality of care, patient safety and reduce costs, contact Kelly Miller, kelly.miller@bcbsa.com, 202.626.4825.
