Independence Blue Cross (IBC) has launched personal health records for its members, the company announced Thursday.
IBC members' personal health information will be available on the company's member Web site, ibxpress.com, launched last year in conjunction with WebMD.
Members will be able to add to their IBC personal health record to "build a more complete picture of their health to make informed decisions with their doctors about their care," according to an IBC announcement.
IBC executives said the passage of healthcare reform further emphasizes the importance of individuals taking accountability for their health and being proactive in their care and treatments.
"We are proud to further empower our members with the next step in health technology, to better equip them as health care consumers, and to help them stay organized and active in their medical care," said Daniel Hilferty, president of health markets for IBC. "The new Personal Health Record is free of charge and puts all our members' health info in one place, broadening IBC's electronic tools, while helping members strive for optimal health, which results in better quality of life and medical cost savings for everyone."
"For many of us, busy lives and hectic schedules make it hard to remember when we last had important preventive care like a mammogram or a flu shot," added Linda Taylor, IBC's chief marketing executive. "IBC now provides members with a PHR, an easy-to-access, secure place to keep their personal health data."
Taylor said members' information about medications, allergies, past surgeries or treatments will complement IBC's data from medical claims, test results and prescription drug information, "resulting in a robust tool that members can share with their current doctors and keep handy for their reference."
"Data-loaded PHRs, further enhanced when members add more information, are expected to improve the quality of care that our members receive and increase patient safety overall," said Richard Snyder, MD, chief medical officer at IBC. "When doctors have a more complete picture of the patient's medical history, they have a broader base of information from which to make treatment recommendations, helping the member get the best possible care."