The use of electronic health record systems helped improve health care quality and outcomes, according to the results of a three-year pilot program organized by Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island, Providence Business News reports (Asinof, Providence Business News, 12/12).
About the Pilot Program
For the pilot program, 79 primary care physicians received partial funding to help purchase an EHR system. They also received monthly stipends during the first and second years of the program to help cover the time spent on EHR implementation and redesigning workflow.
In addition, participating physicians had the opportunity to receive bonus payments based on their performance on 10 quality measures established by BCBS.
Pilot Program Results
According to BCBS, the EHR pilot program contributed to improved health care outcomes, including:
- A 44% median rate of improvement in family and children's health care;
- A 35% median rate of improvement in women's care; and
- A 24% median rate of improvement in internal medicine (Providence Business News, 12/12).
BCBS officials said they used the pilot program as the foundation for the health plan's patient-centered medical home model of care (BCBS release, 12/12).