PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 12, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Independence Blue Cross (IBC) is proud to announce that its chief medical officer and nationally recognized medical home expert, Richard L. Snyder, M.D., will speak on an industry webinar this afternoon about the development, implementation, and results of IBC's three-year patient-centered medical home pilot with the state of Pennsylvania.
The webinar, sponsored by Atlantic Information Services (AIS), will begin at 1 p.m., ET. Co-presenting with Dr. Snyder is Thomas G. Lundquist, M.D., of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee, who will share his experience with Tennessee's patient-centered medical home project. The presentation will be moderated by Jonathan Block, editor of Health Plan Week and several other AIS publications.
"Independence Blue Cross's patient-centered medical home model has reached significant participation levels with nearly 170 primary care practices and more than 1,000 physicians in southeastern Pennsylvania," Dr. Snyder said. "The number of medical homes in our network has more than tripled since the beginning of this year, offering more of our members access to the program. This shows just how excited physicians are about this model of care."
Health care industry specialists who participate in the webinar will learn about how medical homes are helping transform primary care through more personalized and coordinated care. Dr. Snyder will also highlight the early results of the Pennsylvania medical home initiative, which showed chronically ill participants took more responsibility for their care and showed marked improvement in important health outcomes. Improving how primary care is delivered not only improves patients' overall satisfaction, but also leads patients to take better care of themselves and become more actively involved in their health.
Dr. Snyder will share how medical homes use a team approach and support primary care physicians with health educators, nurse practitioners, and other professionals such as behavioral health specialists and nutritionists. Patients who are cared for through the medical home model have better access to their physicians and are evaluated as soon as a problem develops. In addition, the practices are organized so that care managers make sure chronically ill patients receive key tests, take medication as directed, and maintain optimal health.
About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, Independence Blue Cross and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.1 million people. For 73 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered high-quality health care coverage tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, and health care professionals. Independence Blue Cross's HMO and PPO health care plans have consistently received the highest ratings from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. More information about Independence Blue Cross is available at http://www.ibx.com/">www.ibx.com.