s are ideal for those who provide care for elderly parents or for children. The information is available at your fingertips and helps keep you in the loop when it comes to your family’s health and wellbeing.
General wellness tools
Everything from calorie counters and weight loss tips, to tools designed to help manage specific conditions like diabetes, are now available through IT applications and web based sites. The information can be used either under the guidance of a physician or for general knowledge.
All of these IT developments are driving a change of focus for health management. Through this open flow of information, patients can educate themselves and be more prepared when they meet with their physician. This patient-centric model means individuals have more control and become more engaged in managing their care.
Because we understand the value of IT as a tool for health care consumers, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BCNEPA) will continue to provide information access and health management options for our members.
BCNEPA currently offers apps for mobile devices like Android and iPhones that provide BCNEPA members with access to their health insurance information on the go. And soon, BCNEPA’s website will also include transparency tools to help consumers access performance ratings for physicians, costs of service calculators and provider grading systems from accredited bodies.
In addition, BCNEPA is one of many entities that will be participating in Health Information Exchanges (HIEs). These online clearinghouses will provide a vehicle for physicians, hospitals and other care providers to share health information securely and safely. They also allow individuals to control who has access to this data. HIEs will help the health care system reduce costs, reduce duplication, provide better treatment and avoid conflicting care.
Ultimately, all of this information helps you, the health care consumer, make more educated decisions. And when individuals become more educated and engaged in managing their health, everybody benefits.
Jim Michaels is the Vice President of Information Technology Operations at Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania.