September 2017

Disrupt or be disrupted?

A message from Steve Hamman, Senior Vice President of Enterprise Network Solutions 

It was not long ago when voice-controlled lighting, packages delivered by drones, and driverless cars were simply far-fetched cartoon images from the Jetson’s television show in the early 1960s. Technology – and the innovation driving it – is shaping how we shop, travel and live our lives at home. But what about health care? 

Imagine having access to all of your health information right at your fingertips. Where the click of a button on a smart device could help you monitor and manage your health. For example, let’s say you or a family member has a chronic condition like diabetes. This push of a button could monitor vital statistics, flag an abnormal reading and automatically send the information to your physician or condition specialist. Within seconds, you may receive a text or phone call from a clinician advising you on ways to improve the reading, and more importantly, help manage your health all customized to you. Technology is shaping the future of health care delivery now.

Technology and Innovation 
Technology and innovation often lead to industry disruption. Just ask Blockbuster Video. Industry disruptors are everywhere, so our approach at Blue Cross and Blue Cross of Illinois (BCBSIL) is relatively simple. We want to help make the health care system work better for our customers and providers.

One advantage is that we have the data and industry-leading data scientists and developers turning this data into actionable insights.

• For providers, this means more information exchange and guidance to help determine treatment plans for improved health outcomes and value.
• For our customers, this means helping them become more informed health care consumers and simplifying access to the care they need while managing their health.

At BCBSIL, we’re dedicated to being part of the solution. We’re continually evaluating the affordability and accessibility of care for our members, and implementing tools and services that help to improve outcomes for members while increasing administrative efficiencies for providers. And we collaborate with partners across the industry to ensure we’re contributing to bringing forward quality in health care.