As health care expands, so does the use of technology
Health care means more than just a visit to the hospital or doctor’s office.
Now, it can include everything from a Fitbit to planning meals to a blood pressure check every day at home.
As the health care industry evolves, insurers see an opportunity.
At one point, choosing a health insurance policy was pretty straightforward for most people – what did your employer offer? That’s what you got.
But then came the federal Affordable Care Act.
Now, there’s competition for customers.
Some offer stores.
And so-called care coordinators.
And remember that Fitbit mentioned at the start? There’s that too.
This is all part of Capital Blue Cross’s push in the midstate to not only grab new customers, but to try to use technology to keep people healthy and out of the hospital.
More collaboration
Jennifer Van Blargan is director of the insurer’s at home programs. She says for too many years, no one talked to each other.
“We have the case management, we have disease management, we have this program, and we don’t want to be individual silos. We want to work all together for people to have the best health possible,” says Van Blargan.
And to note, this can save some serious money. Healthier people usually don’t need as much care.
Recently, in a crowded banquet room at the Hershey Lodge, it was easy to determine just how much Capital Blue Cross wants to push the idea of a new kind of insurer. There was a booth about how health technology is inching its way into the home.
But then look in another direction, and some of the initiatives would be hard for you or I to notice. Take a portal for employers to monitor health care costs.
“The amount of information that we’re providing out to employers, this is pretty new for them,” says Victoria Mummau, who is part of the sales team for a health care database offered by Theon. “You can see in here we have our high-cost member report. What we’re challenging them to think about is these folks, they need preventative medication, and they need preventative care from their provider, so it’s the people that aren’t costing you the most money right now, and we’re trying to prevent them from being on this high-cost list.”
Not all of this technology expansion is hidden from view though.
Technology in homes
“…And then we have also the blood pressure cuff, which if they’re diabetic, comes with a glucometer,” says Van Blargan.
From a remote location, she can monitor blood pressure, glucose levels, heart rate and so much more. Then, if and when help is needed, people like Shannon Goetz can intervene.
“A lot of them do seem a little skeptical at first because this is new for them. But we do encourage them, telling them that this is a way to stay in the home as long as possible, it helps them manage their care better,” says Goetz.
And if they still doubt this?
Adds Goetz: “A lot of our older populations really put a lot of trust in their provider. So knowing that we’re going to be sending their provider monthly reports, we’re going to be in communication with their provider, really gives them that that little extra incentive to work with us.”
Plus, with all the data coming in, there’s a chance to go beyond improving the health of one person.
Van Blargan: “It really gives you a much larger view of the actual condition itself because yes, you have to look at each individual, but it’s also good to look at the population to say okay, hey we have evidence, we have researchers, what do we really need to look into because this is what the trend is for the population as a whole.”
It’s worth noting despite this innovation, a problem that has dogged health insurers hasn’t gone away. They still face many questions about care decisions they make for people covered by their plans.
But in some instances, the focus is on showcasing what’s next. With an expanding definition of health care plus technology that makes more things possible, the industry will likely only grow.
This article originally appeared on witf.org.
