BCBSA Statement: Administration's New Electronic Health Record Initiative Will Help Transform Health Information Technology Vision Into Reality
Statement from Allan Korn, senior vice president and chief medical officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
October 30, 2007
WASHINGTON – In response to the electronic health record (EHR) initiative announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in Cincinnati, Ohio, Allan Korn, MD, senior vice president and chief medical officer of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), issued the following statement:
"Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans applaud HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and the Bush administration for the launch of the electronic health record (EHR) initiative. This new Medicare incentive pilot to be implemented by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is an important step in recognizing and rewarding providers for delivering quality, coordinated care supported by the adoption and use of an EHR.
Through the collective strengths of the public and private sectors, this new initiative will translate the benefits of health information technology from vision into reality for many Americans.
Working with providers, Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies would like to transform the traditional primary care doctor's office into a central point for Americans to organize and coordinate their healthcare. BCBSA serves on the Executive Committee of the Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative and has recently joined four leading, national primary care physician organizations, major employer groups, and consumer advocates to develop Patient-Centered Medical Home demonstration sites in up to 27 states. EHRs are a key to the success of these efforts.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies are committed to improving our healthcare system. Having EHRs in every doctor's office will be an important step to promoting greater patient safety, improved overall quality of care and increased efficiency. BCBSA looks forward to working with the administration on this important issue."
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a national federation of 39 independent, community-based and locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies that collectively provide healthcare coverage for 100 million members - one-in-three Americans. For more information on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association and its member companies, please visit www.BCBS.com.
