Community Physicians for Indiana and the Deaconess Clinic have joined the Integrated Research Network operated by HealthCore, the first two health systems in Indiana to participate in the nationwide collaborative aimed at providing data to improve treatment costs and outcomes.
With those two groups, the IRN adds 290 physicians to its network. The IRN, operated by HealthCore and owned by WellPoint, the country's largest health insurance company, commissions physician-led studies in a broad array of treatment areas.
"Physicians' willingness to be involved in cutting-edge health research illustrates the innovative aspects of Community Physicians and Deaconess," said David Lee, MD, vice president of physician engagement for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana, a WellPoint company. "These physicians want to know what methods, drugs, tests and devices work the best and are the safest in the real world for their patients. They use this information every day when seeing patients to help them improve their patients' health."
Physicians in the IRN provide data on ongoing studies and can access information and data from other physicians participating in the network. Physicians can also identify clinical issues to study, respond to health surveys and recruit and enroll patients in comparative effectiveness and safety studies in real-world settings.
The Deaconess Clinic, a multi-specialty group of about 90 physicians, performs about 100 clinical and device trials per year, including research on new treatments for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, chronic pain, skin disorders and most cancers.
"We are looking to participate in the IRN to give us continuous access to additional research about evidence-based medicine to further enhance the care we can provide our patients and the communities we serve," said Greg Folz, administrative director of the Research Institute of Deaconess Clinic.
For the 200 doctors at Community Physicians for Indiana, participation in the IRN will help them tie into studies and data on a number of different chronic diseases and conditions.
"We have not only a moral and ethical responsibility to improve healthcare, we have a financial responsibility to our community," said Mary Jane Hall, the group's director of clinical excellence. "The IRN is one of our efforts to help fulfill this responsibility."