NEW E-MAIL DRUG ALERTS IMPROVE PATIENT SAFETY AND REDUCE HEALTH CARE COSTS

Health Care Service Corporation Participates In New National Doctor Network

CHICAGO (March 25, 2008) – Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC), which operates the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas, is proud to participate in the launch of a new network designed to deliver drug safety alerts to doctors via the Internet. The Health Care Notification Network (HCNN) replaces paper notification and is the result of an unprecedented collaboration between U.S. medical society leaders, liability carriers, health plans, consumer advocacy groups, government leaders and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

“It is no longer acceptable for the physicians in our networks to receive important alerts about prescription drugs through ‘snail mail’,” said Paul Handel, M.D., senior vice president and chief medical officer for HCSC. “Our members’ safety relies on doctors having the most current information possible.”

“Letters to health care providers often are screened by one or more ‘gatekeepers’ and may not reach the intended recipients — the providers who need the drug information for treating patients,” explained Janet Woodcock, MD; deputy commissioner for Scientific and Medical Programs, CMO, and acting director Center for Drug Evaluation and Research US FDA. “Gatekeepers often discard these important paper-based alerts as ‘junk mail’.”

The FDA now actively encourages the use of online networks for patient safety alerts. Tens of thousands of U.S. physicians already use HCNN to speed up the alert delivery process as well as reduce doctor liability and paperwork.

“Improved patient safety and reduced drug risk impacts health, costs and quality of care,” added Dr. Handel. “We are aggressively reaching out to the physicians in our networks to encourage their enrollment in the HCNN.”

In addition to information about traditional drugs, HCNN can also provide rapid communication with physicians in the event of emergency public health or bio-terror events.

Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company, is the largest customer-owned health insurer in the United States and the fourth largest health insurer in the country overall, with nearly 12 million members in its Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. HCSC has a rating of AA– (Very Strong) from Standard and Poor’s, Aa3 (Excellent) from Moody’s and A+ (Superior) from A.M. Best Co. HCSC is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

CONTACT:
Ross Blackstone (972-766-1735, Ross_Blackstone@HCSC.com)
HCSC: www.hcsc.com
HCNN: www.hcnn.net

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