Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health will be using technology from Google Cloud and EHR vendor Epic Systems in an effort to enhance data collection for healthcare providers and payers, CNBC reported Feb. 26.
By merging Epic's Payer Platform, which facilitates the exchange of patient data between payers and providers, with Google's analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities, Highmark aims to streamline access to vital patient information, according to the news outlet. This includes information such as upcoming visits, medical history, insurance claims and health plan benefits.
Typically, this information is scattered across various databases and formats, which can be challenging for healthcare professionals and insurance personnel to locate efficiently.
But with this integration, Highmark says it will automate administrative tasks, including prior authorization.
Tony Farah, MD, chief medical and clinical transformation officer at Highmark Health, mentioned that the integration will also assist physicians in making more informed decisions regarding appropriate next steps, ultimately leading to a reduction in the cost of care for patients.
"Doctors don't need help once they have information; the problem is they don't have it," Dr. Farah told CNBC. "The idea is to provide this type of actionable information well ahead of time, any time of the day."
Additionally, Highmark said the integration will facilitate the aggregation of clinical data from its hospitals, providing convenient access for representatives from its health plan. The technology is capable of automatically notifying the health plan about forthcoming patient visits, eliminating the need for manual processes and improving efficiency.
According to Highmark, the integration with Google Cloud is anticipated to save approximately $2.7 million annually, as estimated by its provider system through shared claims data.