BCBS data network expanding to drive improved outcomes
All 36 independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield (BCBS) companies will contribute comprehensive data on healthcare quality and costs to Blue Cross Blue Shield Axis (BCBS Axis), collecting the data from more than 2.3 billion procedures conducted annually from more than 20,000 healthcare facilities and 540,000 physicians.
BCBS Axis aims to offer employers, consumers and physicians the insight needed to improve the quality and affordability of care.
BCBS Axis already reflects $350 billion in annual claims along with 36 million provider records and more than 700,000 BCBS patient reviews, according to a release. The breadth of the data makes BCBS Axis the healthcare industry's largest aggregated data resource and the only one that includes information from every U.S. ZIP code.
BCBS covers one in three Americans and can draw on its network that includes more than 92 percent of physicians and 96 percent of hospitals, giving the organization a unique position in U.S. healthcare.
BCBS Axis gives employers a better understanding of their workers' care needs and utilization. BCBS companies also help consumers access reliable and accurate information to assist in provider choice. BCBS also hopes providers can benefit from the ability to benchmark care delivery patterns to drive improved outcomes.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.