The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association outlined its approach to new interoperability guidelines as pursuant to "a more customized, timely, and personalized digital experience," according to Lachlan Tidmarsh, senior vice president and CIO.
In an interview with Deloitte published in The Wall Street Journal, Shahzad Shah, chief enterprise architect at BCBSA, said he thinks of interoperability as a highway. Digital infrastructure must provide comprehensive overviews of a member's health profile to arm them with the best healthcare options.
In real-world application, Mr. Tidmarsh pointed to using cloud-first solutions that include application programming interfaces and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources standards.
Steps to meet interoperability guidelines will include modernizing its BlueCard program and data warehouse, but could also use artificial intelligence and machine learning.
"As in most industries right now, we're seeing a drive among consumers for a more customized, timely, and personalized digital experience," Mr. Tidmarsh said. "We want to empower consumers with secure, meaningful, and actionable information about their care and expected costs. When data is clear and accessible, patients can proactively manage their care."