Regence Enables Members To Share Feedback With Each Other When Researching Health Care Provider Options

Member Feedback Feature Promotes A More Informed Health Care Experience

January 13, 2008

PORTLAND - National and regional studies indicate that informed patients make better health care decisions, and to promote this effort, Regence is launching a member feedback feature in Spring 2008 that enables the health plan's three million members to share information with each other about their provider experiences through myRegence.com, the company's member site.

The new feedback feature provides Regence members with the means to evaluate and review information on physicians, dentists and other health care professionals and to see comments and ratings posted by other members.

Health care providers whose patients complete the survey have an opportunity to respond online. Currently, members are able to comment on their experience with Regence as a health plan through myRegence.com.

"People often ask their family, friends and neighbors for recommendations regarding health care providers, and this feature is another way to expand the back fence in terms of those conversations," said Jeff Robertson, M.D., Executive Medical Director for Regence. "This new feature effectively broadens the resources available to our members by encouraging feedback about their health care experience."

The feedback feature will be launched in a two-step process. Regence members and guests will be able to view the numerical portion of survey results in early March 2008. In April, Regence plans to expand the feature, making the comments and numerical scores available online to members. Both elements are available to providers as part of a feature preview period that begins today.

In a study conducted among Regence members with the help of an independent research firm, 94 percent of the respondents indicated that having access to information about other individuals' experiences was important to their health care decision-making. In response, Regence continues to create ways for members to become more fully engaged in their health care. The launch of the member feedback feature is one of many ways that Regence is working to develop and distribute information about cost, quality and the patient experiences that members consider important when making value-based health care decisions.

About Regence
Regence the largest health insurer in the Northwest/Intermountain Region, serving nearly three million members as Regence BlueShield of Idaho, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and Regence BlueShield (in Washington). Each plan is a not-for-profit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Regence is committed to improving the health of our members and our communities, and to transforming our health care system. For more information, please visit www.regence.com.