Meeting the Challenge to Transform Healthcare


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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Electronic systems hold the promise of putting medical records in the hands of providers, wherever and whenever a patient may need care.  Pre-existing conditions, drug interactions and allergies become life-threatening risks if these data are not available in an emergency.  Partnerships like the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative – established by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA)  have the potential to save lives by hastening the adoption and acceptance of electronic systems in the community.

Program Elements

  • Encourages providers to use technology by offering reimbursements for  "e-visits" for non-urgent consultations between providers and members.

  • Nine pilots were selected to study how to effectively replace paper records, including over $2.3 million in grants to support new technology in provider practices and community health centers.

  • BCBSMA established an e-prescribing collaboration with two local competitors, The eRx Collaborative, offering providers free e-prescribing devices, Internet access or cellular service and e-prescribing software to providers.

  • BCBSMA is studying how to implement electronic systems at the provider level, with nine pilot provider sites selected to study how to replace paper records with technology.  The pilot includes over $2.3 million in grants to support new technology for providers.

  • BCBSMA called together 35 stakeholders to form the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative and made a $50 million commitment to speed the adoption of a secure, state-wide electronic information system.  The program will be piloted in 3 communities.

Program Results

  • Currently, 2,500 providers participate in the e-Rx Collaborative – one of the largest e-prescribing projects nationwide – and filled 10,448 e-scripts.

  • Since 2005, over 200 providers are using electronic medical records (EMRs), 30,000 patient charts have been converted to EMRs and 50,000 patient encounters have been documented with EMRs.

  • The Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative has generated enormous enthusiasm in Massachusetts: over 35 communities applied to participate in the project.

Contact

Vincent D. Plourde, Vice President, Provider Services, 617-246-7632, vincent.plourde@bcbsma.com