The health plan will be migrating its services to an integrated data hub, called the Blue Shield Experience Cube, on Microsoft's Azure platform.
Blue Shield of California is moving to the cloud.
The Oakland-based payer with about 4.8 million members has announced a partnership with Microsoft to build an integrated data hub, called the Blue Shield Experience Cube, on Microsoft's Azure cloud platform. Officials say the hub will enable payers, providers, and other parties to access usable data more quickly and efficiently to streamline and improve care management for members.
“Our goal is to create high-tech, high-touch experiences for our members that are holistic and personalized by removing longstanding silos and bringing together data in the cloud,” Lisa Davis, BSC's executive vice president and chief information officer, said in a press release. “Microsoft’s cloud technology can help Blue Shield better coordinate with providers to open up greater access to care and services for our members. When data is available in near real-time, it enables shared decision-making among members and providers to improve health outcomes and reduce the cost of care.”
The news follows an announcement in May of a collaboration between BSC and Google Cloud to pilot an AI program aimed at expediting the prior authorization process.
“We want to help ease the administrative burden on our healthcare providers so they have more time to deliver the best care possible," Davis said at that time "Leveraging Google Cloud technologies and artificial intelligence, we are working to ensure our members get timely access to clinically necessary care and services."
With Microsoft, BCS is now turning its attention to improving the care journey for its members. The first project to be launched through the Blue Shield Experience Cub will be the development of an integrated digital health record, which will include a member's health information, medications, labs, ER visits, healthcare utilization, plan coverage, and other data.
"The information brought together by the Experience Cube will facilitate more data-driven care coordination to recommend actions that help members through transitions of care or prompt Blue Shield care managers to create programs that connect members to resources that address social determinants of health," officials said in the press release.
BCS has already moved some of its services into Azure, reportedly enabling the health plan to process billions of transactions in weeks instead of months. Future plans include expanding the capabilities of the Experience Cube to integrate more data, including costs of healthcare services, and incorporate AI tools.
Eric Wicklund is the associate content manager and senior editor for Innovation at HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Blue Shield of California is an independent, non-profit health plan covering roughly 4.8 million members.
Officials say the move to Microsoft's cloud platform will streamline and improve data collection and analysis, enabling providers to personalize and expand care management for members.
BCS recently launched a pilot with Google Cloud to improve the prior authorization process, a key pain point for healthcare providers and patients.