The Rhode Island Quality Institute and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Launch Program to Boost Enrollment in the State’s Health Information Exchange
PROVIDENCE, RI (September 4, 2013) – The Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) announced the launch of an incentive program for Rhode Island primary care physicians (PCPs) to adopt and use CurrentCare, Rhode Island’s health information exchange. The program is designed to reward PCPs who are advancing health information technology and health information exchange in Rhode Island.
“We are very excited about this program,” said Jonathan Leviss, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Rhode Island Quality Institute. “By creating financial incentives for providers who adopt CurrentCare, the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island Incentive Program encourages improved patient care across the state.”
Providers who use CurrentCare are able to see enrolled patients’ protected health information through a secure electronic network. By increasing access to information such as hospitalizations, lab results, allergies and prescribed medications, providers can improve their patients’ safety and coordination of care. Furthermore, CurrentCare is the first health information exchange in the nation to produce patient hospital encounter notices statewide which alert PCPs of when their patients are admitted to or discharged from the hospital.
“CurrentCare has tremendous advantages for both patients and providers that make care more coordinated, safe and patient-centered,” said Dr. Gus Manocchia, Chief Medical Officer for BCBSRI. “Encouraging the use of CurrentCare is aligned with our efforts to lower costs and improve the overall quality of healthcare services in our state.”
Under the incentive program, eligible providers (those in family practice, pediatrics or internal medicine who are in compliance with BCBSRI’s EHR Payment Policy) may receive up to $10,000 in incentives per practice related to three key areas:
- CurrentCare enrollment –To qualify for incentives, PCP practices must enroll the greater of the following: at least 200 patients per affiliated PCP or enroll a number of patients equivalent to at least 50 percent of their BCBSRI members.
- Use of the CurrentCare Viewer and Hospital Alerts—PCP practices can qualify for additional incentive if at least 75 percent of their staff is trained on the online portal known as CurrentCare Viewer and the practice enables CurrentCare Hospital Alerts.
- Implementation of a Direct Messaging Account—This allows for secure electronic communication between providers who use different electronic medical record systems.
For more information about the CurrentCare Incentive program, including program eligibility, detailed program design and available funding, visit the EHR Funding Support Programs page of www.BCBSRI.com, or contact the Physician and Provider Service Center at (401) 274-4848 or 1-800-230-9050.
About RIQI
RIQI is a center of collaborative innovation that advances health and healthcare transformation. Our mission is to improve the quality, safety and value of healthcare and share knowledge that advances the field of healthcare improvement.
RIQI is a 501c3 non-profit organization founded in 2001 and overseen by a Board of Directors made up of senior health industry leaders from our community, including CEOs of hospitals, health insurers and health-related businesses, along with leaders of consumer groups, academia and government agencies. For more information, visit www.riqi.org.
About BCBSRI
Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island is the state’s leading health insurer and covers more than 600,000 members. The company is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. For more information, visit www.BCBSRI.com and follow us on Twitter@BCBSRI.