The Payer Platform of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) has landed the insurer, healthcare software giant Epic, and NorthShore University HealthSystem Chicago’s prestigious Innovations Award. The joint effort to rollout the platform received the award at the 45th Chicago Health Executives Forum (CHEF) annual meeting held virtually on February 18. The platform, according to the company, is a secure interconnected system of health information between insurers and providers.
- The award is given for the achievements of a healthcare team that inspires leadership, change and advancement in the Chicago area health care community.
- BCBSIL said the platform is designed to create a secure place to facilitate a more efficient exchange of health information to review patient data, provide the foundation for streamlining administrative processes, and work to establish future care management strategies.
- The platform was pressed into service for the first time in Illinois by NorthShore in December 2020 – moving to plan, implement and execute this data-driven approach to health care in less than 60 days. It was later adopted by Northwest Community Healthcare in January 2021, and Access Community Health Network in February.
- To implement the platform, BCBSIL has collaborated with Epic providers, whose appetite for innovation and endeavor to improve care delivery in Illinois are well known.
- Krishna Ramachandran, Vice President, Provider Performance at BCBSIL, said, “We know that physicians, hospitals and other care providers need timely access to actionable information to help guide treatment. Patients need data in order to help choose the right provider, understand their test results, and better understand their health benefits. Insurers need data to strengthen collaboration with providers and drive value for its members and employer groups through improving health outcomes and avoiding unnecessary costs.”