Innovative Ideas for Improving Health Care Through Technology
Technology has improved the lives of most Americans. Unfortunately, health care continues to lag behind other sectors in harnessing digital information for the benefit of patients and health care consumers. Consequently, the U.S. health care system suffers from costly and preventable medical errors, duplicate tests and procedures, and an unacceptable level of inefficient or inappropriate care delivery. WellPoint and its affiliated health plans are developing new, innovative ways to put cutting-edge technology in the hands of health care providers and members to help improve safety, help lower costs and hopefully achieve better health outcomes. With medical errors and drug safety events costing the health care system $9 billion, this has to change.
WellPoint has helped to develop an Individual Health Record, a form of electronic medical record, to consolidate individuals’ health information into a secure, convenient digital record – giving them and their physicians a shared understanding of their medical history. IHRs allow the delivery of clinical information quickly and accurately to providers, helping to reduce costly and duplicative testing and improving the quality of care received.
WellPoint developed the Individual Health Record along with Kettering Health Network. The DaytonHealth- Konnect Individual Health Record is a pilot program that seemingly has already reduced overall health care trend costs by 7.4 percent for those who use it, according to HealthCore, WellPoint’s research subsidiary. Those same participants were 10 to 38 percent more likely to receive key disease screening tests than non-users.¹
WellPoint is leading the charge in developing innovative, public-private partnerships like this to help consumers and health providers optimize use of new technologies. Whether through development and implementation of digital paperless claims systems to lower health care administrative costs, improved provider and consumer communication or e-prescribing, WellPoint is working with providers, government and consumers to find ways to increase quality while reducing costs.
Congress’s passage earlier this year of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), which promotes electronic sharing of clinical data throughout the health delivery continuum is a significant first step, but more work needs to be done. WellPoint continues to make progress on new, innovative ideas to help improve health care quality, help reduce costs and try to make coverage available and affordable for everyone who needs it.
Congress has a unique opportunity to pass bipartisan reform driven by these principles. As the national health reform discussion continues, WellPoint remains committed to leading the way toward the answers our country needs.
Footnotes
1 – HealthCore studied medical claims for members 18 years and older over a period of 18 months in 2007 and 2008.
