Insurer drives mobile information network

WILKES-BARRE — Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BCNEPA) has announced an agreement with Microsoft, Covisint and AllOne Health Group, Inc. to pursue development of a system for exchanging health information electronically that will include mobile phone access for consumers and health care providers. The agreement aims to use mobile phones to bring detailed health information to points in the care process where decisions are being made. Better access to more complete health information can enhance clinical decision making, reduce medical errors and potentially improve quality. Mobile phone access allows patients and doctors to review important health information wherever and whenever it is needed - including days, nights and weekends. The project combines the talents and resources of: AllOne Mobile, AllOne Health Group, Inc.’s industry-leading secure, mobile application secured by Diversinet, a leading provider of wireless authentication and access solutions, that places personal health information at consumers’ fingertips through their mobile phones; Microsoft® HealthVault(tm), an open platform designed to put people in control of their health information, allowing them to store copies of health records in one location, upload data from health devices, and share health information with providers, family and a wide range of health and wellness applications; and Covisint, a global provider of secure, on-demand technology platforms enabling collaboration, interoperability and ready access to information. “This agreement is another step in our vision to create a new model in which local hospitals, physicians, consumers and health insurers can work together to improve the quality, accessibility and delivery of health care in northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Denise S. Cesare, President and Chief Executive Officer, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Through the agreement, Covisint will provide a single point of access through which health care providers can gather health information from across the distributed information systems and store the data in Microsoft’s HealthVault. Patients will then be able to aggregate data from multiple health care providers to create a seamless and comprehensive treatment record that can displayed on wireless mobile devices through the AllOne Mobile application. Health information will then be able to be faxed or electronically transmitted to providers using the broadly available Continuity of Care Record (CCR) standard. “The healthcare industry faces both a challenge and an opportunity all at once - that of securely connecting care providers to the information they need to deliver quality patient care,” said Brett Furst, Vice President of Healthcare, Covisint. “This agreement has the potential to go a long way toward delivering on that opportunity in ways that benefit not only patients, but the entire care delivery system.”