EAGAN, Minn., Oct. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota was recently presented with two honorable mentions at the 2004 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association’s Best of Blue national awards program in medical and pharmacy management. Blue Cross, Minnesota’s largest health plan, was recognized for its work in researching the value of a drug safety alert mailing and improving community quality of care.
The annual Best of Blue awards recognize only truly exemplary programs that demonstrate innovative approaches and credible results that improve member services. This year, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association had 89 submissions. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota garnered two of the 10 honorable mentions.
One of the honorable mentions was for Blue Cross’ program to notify providers of new drug safety concerns in the Best Practices in Quality Improvement category. Blue Cross created an innovative program that focuses on notifying providers of new drug safety concerns that include member specific pharmacy claims record reporting. On Jan. 10, 2005, a safety alert mailing concerning the drug Bextra (valdecoxib) was associated with a significant reduction in high-risk prescribing and an overwhelming positive response from providers. Bextra is a non-steriodal, anti-inflammatory drug in a class of pain relievers. The effective, proactive approach to notifying physicians of the newly identified drug concerns with Bextra was taken well ahead of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) action to withdraw Bextra from the market because of cardiovascular safety concerns.
Another honorable mention was given for Blue Cross’ partnership work with the Minnesota Community Measurement project in the Best Practices in Partnerships category. Blue Cross plays a major role in providing leadership, energy and financial support to implement a successful statewide collaboration that has achieved significant advancements in quality improvement, reduced administrative burden and costs, and improved communication of quality information. Minnesota Community Measurement has contributed to significant quality changes since its inception three years ago. Performance measures were shared publicly for the first time in November 2004 and refreshed measures are expected to be public in November 2005.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with headquarters in the St. Paul suburb of Eagan, was chartered in 1933 as Minnesota’s first health plan and continues to carry out its charter mission today: to promote a wider, more economical and timely availability of health services for the people of Minnesota. A not-for-profit, taxable organization, Blue Cross is the largest health plan based in Minnesota, covering 2.6 million members in Minnesota and nationally through its health plans or plans administered by its affiliated companies. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, headquartered in Chicago. Go to http://www.bluecrossmn.com to learn more about Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
CONTACT: Jan Hennings, APR, +1-651-662-6139, or Joel Swanson, APR,+1-651-662-2882, both of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota
Web site: http://www.bluecrossmn.com/
