BCBSNC is the first health insurer in North Carolina to implement Bridges to Excellence(TM), which has programs in 18 other states. The North Carolina State Health Plan is collaborating in the three-year pilot program and contributed funds to the physician incentive reward pool.

This, in turn, will enhance the quality of care received by BCBSNC and State Health Plan members. We think the program will also address affordability by encouraging more cost-effective care delivery.

"Bridges to Excellence rewards physicians and physician practices for delivering safer, more effective and more efficient care through incentives and recognition," said Bob Greczyn, president and CEO of BCBSNC. "This, in turn, will enhance the quality of care received by BCBSNC and State Health Plan members. We think the program will also address affordability by encouraging more cost-effective care delivery."

Some examples of changes implemented in these North Carolina practices include improving follow up and tracking of patients, applying electronic prescribing, changing follow-up triage systems and improving overall office efficiencies by using information systematically to improve the quality of patient care.

"Bridges to Excellence underscores the State Health Plan's commitment to increasing the value received for every dollar spent on health care," said George C. Stokes, executive administrator of the State Health Plan. "We are very pleased to collaborate with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Bridges to Excellence with the goal of enhancing the quality of care received by members of the State Health Plan."

"Doctors who deliver the best care deserve to be rewarded for improving health outcomes," said Kathleen C. Mudd, RN, MBA, NCQA vice president for product delivery. "Rewarding the right care is common sense--and it leads to happier, healthier patients. BCBSNC and the North Carolina State Health Plan are to be commended for their leadership in adopting this program."

Physicians achieved recognition in three distinct programs to be eligible for rewards and recognition. All three areas are based on standards established by the National Committee on Quality Assurance (NCQA):

• Diabetes care
• Heart and stroke care
• Physician office management, including clinical information systems, patient education and support, and care management

Bridges to Excellence Pilot - April 2007 Rewards

(Practice Name: City; Number)   

• Pediatric Partners*: Raleigh; (919) 787-9555   
• Physicians East: Greenville; (252) 752-6101   
• North Wake Cardiov.Ctr.: Raleigh; (919) 554-6962   
• Tarboro Clinic: Tarboro; (252) 823-2105   
• Coastal Children's Clinic: New Bern; (252) 633-2900   
• MAHEC Family Hlth.Ctr. (Mountian Area Family Health): Asheville; (828) 257-4725   
• Cornerstone Medical Assoc.: High Point; (336) 802-2025   
• Unifour Family Practice: Hickory; (828) 294-4100   
• Wilson Medical Associates: Wilson; (252) 399-0992   
• Duke Gen.Int.Med./Pickett Rd: Durham; (919) 419-5938   
• Dayspring Family Medicine: Eden; (336) 623-5171   
• Western Wake Peds: Cary; (919) 859-9991   
• Raleigh Medical Group - Key: Raleigh; (919) 341-3618   
• Haywood Pediatric & Adolescent Med.: Clyde; (828) 648-1711   
• Randy Long MD, PA: Lexington; (336) 249-8760   
• Mid Carolina Card, PA: Charlotte; (704) 343-9800   
• Boylan Medical Associates: Raleigh; (919) 781-9650   
• Medical Associates of Surry: Mount Airy; (336) 719-6100   
• Sanford Medical Group: Sanford; (919) 774-6518   
• Family and Community Medicine of Asheboro: Asheboro; (336) 672-3200   
• Asheville Family Health Centers, PA: Asheville; (828) 210-3728   
• The Sanger Clinic: Charlotte; (704) 373-0212   
• Henderson Family Medicine: Henderson; (252) 492-3152   
• Wilkes Family Health Center: N.Wilkesboro; (336) 667-4178   
• CaroMount Specialty Group dba Carolina Heart Specialist: Gastonia; (704) 862-7084   
• Pinehurst Medical Clinic: Pinehurst; (910) 295-5511   
• Catawba Women's Ctr: Hickory; (828) 315-6444   
• Cabarrus Family Medicine: Concord; (704) 721-2069   
• Ajay Kumar, MD: Greensboro; (336) 378-1232

About the North Carolina State Health Plan:
The North Carolina State Health Plan covers approximately 624,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, current and former lawmakers, state university and community college personnel, state hospital staff and their dependents. The State Health Plan also administers NC Health Choice, a fee-for-service program that provides health insurance to more than 100,000 uninsured children in North Carolina. The State Health Plan is self-insured and exempt from ERISA as a government-sponsored plan. Access the State Health Plan online at www.shpnc.org.

About Bridges to Excellence:
The Bridges to Excellence coalition is a not-for-profit organization created to encourage significant leaps in the quality of care by recognizing and rewarding health care providers who demonstrate that they deliver safe, timely, effective, efficient and patient-centered care. Bridges to Excellence participants include large employers, health plans, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, Medstat, and WebMD Health, among others. The organizations are united in their shared goal of improving health care quality through measurement, reporting, rewards and education. www.bridgestoexcellence.org.

Contact:
Lew Borman, Kyle Marshall
BCBSNC Media Line: 919-765-3005
Online Newsroom: http://www.bcbsnc.com/inside/newsroom.cfm