Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico forms innovative technical partnership with IBM.ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 4, 1996--Blue Cross and Blue Shield Blue Shield A US not-for-profit health care insurer that is a reimbursement intermediary for physicians. Cf Blue Cross. of New Mexico New Mexico, state in the SW United States. At its northwestern corner are the so-called Four Corners, where Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet at right angles; New Mexico is also bordered by Oklahoma (NE), Texas (E, S), and Mexico (S). is forming an innovative technical partnership with IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) to deliver the information age to New Mexico's hospitals, physicians and patients. IBM and Rocky Mountain Health Care Corp., which manages the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans of New Mexico, Nevada and Colorado, are building a "network-centric" information system that will connect hospitals, clinics, physicians and payors in the network. This network will integrate hardware and software now used by each office, therefore making it easier and more inexpensive for each organization to use the new system. The first phase of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico/ IBM system will help lower administrative costs administrative costs, n.pl the overhead expenses incurred in the operation of a dental benefits program, excluding costs of dental services provided. by reducing the volume of paperwork. It will free physicians and their staffs from paperwork by changing the rules: not only will physicians and hospitals be able to file claims electronically for all health plans in the network; their ability to determine eligibility and claims status, as well as patient information and referrals also will be available. All of this will allow physicians to deliver high-quality health care by having the most current, accurate data available. Another bonus for physicians and hospitals from the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico/IBM system is an on-ramp to the Information Superhighway (1) A generic name for the Internet. (2) A proposed high-speed communications system that was touted by the Clinton/Gore administration to enhance education in America in the 21st century. Its purpose was to help all citizens regardless of their income level. with access to e-mail, bulletin boards, posting messages and eventual access to the Internet. "Health care, as an industry, thrives on information. This revolutionary computer network will take the drudgery out of keeping information on hand. With just a few clicks of the mouse, participating physicians and hospitals will be able to have the most current data available without stretching their already overburdened o·ver·bur·den tr.v. o·ver·bur·dened, o·ver·bur·den·ing, o·ver·bur·dens 1. To burden with too much weight; overload. 2. To subject to an excessive burden or strain; overtax. n. 1. staff," said Blair Christensen, vice president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico. "IBM is helping health-care organizations blaze BLAZE - A single assignment language for parallel processing. ["The BLAZE Language: A Parallel Language for Scientific Programming", P. Mehrotra <mehrotra@csrd.uiuc.edu> et al, J Parallel Comp 5(3):339-361 (Nov 1987)]. a new trail in the delivery of information that can not only enhance lives, but can help doctors save them," said Gail Gulinson, vice president of Networked Solutions, IBM Worldwide Healthcare Solutions. After the first phase of the network is finished and operable operable /op·er·a·ble/ (op´er-ah-b'l) subject to being operated upon with a reasonable degree of safety; appropriate for surgical removal. op·er·a·ble adj. , additions to the network will include: receiving reports back from labs electronically; on-line access to medical references, such as pharmaceutical databases; and on-line pre-certification for surgeries. The first phase of the network, which includes electronic claims submission, claims and eligibility status and referral processing, has an expected start date of September 1996. CONTACT: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico Lynn Pitcher, 505/271-4335 |
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