08 Sep Health Data News Roundup: BCBS SDOH Efforts in California; National Patient Identifier Ban; and IHDE Remote Patient Monitoring Platform

Welcome to the Health Data Weekly News Roundup from IMAT Solutions. As the power of data continues to grow in the healthcare arena, today’s care organizations need to be on the forefront of all news and trends to help ensure that their data analytics efforts deliver accountable and informed care. Each week, we will provide you with the actionable news you need to meet these goals.

Payer Seeks to Democratize Social Determinants of Health Data
Blue Shield of California has created the Neighborhood Health Dashboard generator for elevating community health across the entire state of California.

Coalition Calls On Congress to Lift National Patient Identifier Ban
Following vote in the House of Representatives to remove the bill prohibiting the use of federal funds for the adoption of a national patient identifier (NPI), the Premier Healthcare Alliance and the Patient ID Coalition call on the US Senate to also lift the ban.

New Aetna Health Plan Leverages CVS HealthHUBs, Narrow Networks
Aetna is initiating a new employer-sponsored health plan in Kansas and Missouri that will combine a narrow network with CVS Health services, the payer announced.

Idaho HIE Integrates Remote Patient Monitoring Platform
Idaho Health Data Exchange (IHDE) announced that it is implementing a remote patient monitoring platform, combining IHDE’s patient health data and its existing telehealth capabilities to boost remote patient care.

How Payers Can Calm Member Fears, Push Virtual Care Adoption
As the healthcare landscape is becoming more digitized, payers can take steps to prevent members from falling back into old, non-digital forms of care, a recent Accenture report highlighted.

COVID-19 Triggers ePrescribing, Direct Messaging Increase
Throughout the spread of COVID-19, healthcare providers have increased their use of ePrescribing, direct messaging, and prescription price transparency tools to streamline patient care and boost patient data exchange, according to a recent Surescripts report.

MO Regional Data Exchange Promotes COVID-19 Data Flow
The St. Louis Regional Data Alliance has launched the St. Louis Regional Data Exchange, an online portal that bonds more than 400 regional public data sets incorporating local COVID-19 and demographic data.

4 Population Health Strategies Payers Use for Back to School
As fall approaches and the coronavirus continues to affect daily life, parents must decide whether and how to send their children back to school and payers must consider population health strategies that support their decisions.