Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation

Categories: Encourage Research on What Works

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan partnered with the University of Michigan Health System to launch the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation, a think tank for developing and testing new ideas to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare.  Four demonstration projects are currently underway:

• Focus on Diabetes is designed to evaluate the impact of reduced medication co-pays on healthcare utilization and expenditures for individuals with diabetes.
• Encouraging Appropriate and Judicious Use of Cardiac Services is a project designed to improve quality of care and achieve cost savings by increasing patient involvement in treatment decision-making and reducing variation in diagnostic and therapeutic services for patients with stable coronary artery disease.
• Encouraging Appropriate and Judicious Use of High Technology Radiology for Low Back Pain is a project designed to improve health outcomes for patients with low back pain and avoid the excess cost and potentially negative patient outcomes associated with overutilization of high technology scanning.
• Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH) will assess the current status of PCMH in Michigan and evaluate the impact of PCMH elements, such as expanded access to care and coordination of care efforts, on the delivery of cost-effective, high quality care and the development of a sustainable reimbursement model.