WALLDORF, GERMANY and WAYNE, PA — (Marketwire) — 01/31/12 — , (ICW), a leading international provider of healthcare information technology, was selected by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) to implement a new enterprise master patient index (MPI) that will enable Blue KC to meet new demands for comprehensive, aggregated patient data in the health information exchange (HIE) environment.
“Health care reform is driving significant changes in healthcare, which call for changes in the way we manage member identification,” said Jane Hamerle, CIO of Blue KC. “For health plans, the need for an accurate, longitudinal understanding of members and their data over a lifetime is more important than ever, and ICW-s solution will enable us to achieve this.”
Hamerle added that as Blue KC has continued to grow, it has added more than 100,000 new records in 2010. This growth made the need more apparent for an MPI capable of supporting our goal of maintaining high quality member information with the utmost confidentiality and care.
“As the largest insurer in the area, Blue KC is leading the way in technologies that protect and benefit the individuals it serves,” said Jeremy Coote, CEO of ICW, Inc. “ICW is pleased to provide an MPI solution that helps prepare Blue KC for success in the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape through the ability to accurately aggregate a patient-s health information into one uniform view.”
Coote added that this type of data aggregation can be quite challenging. Yet, ICW-s MPI solution offers strict standards-compliance and is built on state-of-the-art technology that automates mapping of datasets to a single patient identity based on a probability-based mathematical procedure, allowing for complex matching challenges to be rapidly resolved.
ICW offers a cost-effective, yet comprehensive MPI solution, featuring five modular designs for optimal flexibility. The modules can be used separately or together to synchronize patient identities between IT systems within one organization, or to provide unique patient identification in data-sharing scenarios across institutions or healthcare sectors. The modules, which are capable of as-needed seamless expansion, include:
The ICW MPI Match Engine: The key building block of ICW MPI. It is based on a mature, probability-based matching algorithm that can automatically reconcile highly complex data configurations (abbreviations, spelling errors, etc.) with a high degree of reliability.
ICW MPI Quality Manager: Provides a comprehensive suite of decision aids and workflow mechanisms to help resolve particularly complex matching tasks that must be performed manually.
ICW MPI Statistics: Provides reporting and statistical functions to continuously review matching quality and to indicate opportunities for improvement. Filterable lists will allow automatic and manual mappings to be reviewed later.
ICW MPI Configurator: Provides users with a graphic user interface, giving them the option to configure the matching algorithm to their specific needs.
ICW MPI IHE Connectivity: Ensures conformity with the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) framework, specifically PIX (Patient Identifier Cross-referencing) and PDQ (Patient Demographics Query) profiles for querying identifiers and demographic data.
“MPIs ensure that all connected systems always have access to current, complete and reliable master data,” said Coote. “Additionally, MPIs lay the groundwork for patient-centered medical care and care coordination across the healthcare market.”
For more information, contact .
With over a decade of global health IT experience, ICW-s solutions for care management, health information exchange and master patient indexes provide strategies for an evolving and dynamic healthcare landscape. ICW combines in-depth knowledge of the U.S. healthcare market with precision German technology to provide a cost-effective, modular, flexible and scalable approach to addressing the needs of its clients. ICW develops long-term partnerships with health IT vendors, health organizations and providers that deliver measurable results for improved health outcomes. As a proven partner to major U.S. healthcare organizations, ICW also develops customized, comprehensive solutions that align its clients with strategies for success in the new value-based healthcare environment.
Brenda Bryan
Amendola Communications for ICW
480-664-8412 ext. 13
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