In this first decade of the 21st century,
consumers find themselves surrounded by a large and increasing volume of information on just about any topic of
their choosing. And information about
the ever-evolving field of health care is
no exception. Whether one is attempting
to choose a quality health care provider,
decide on an insurance plan, learn the
latest about a particular condition or
procedure, or plot out a customized
exercise and nutrition plan, multiple
sources abound.
“Gone are the days when out-of-date
health care magazines in a physician’s
waiting room are considered adequate,”
says Dr. Wendy A. Richards, national
medical director for Aetna Small and
Middle Market Business. “We have traded the simplicity of a few sources of
information that weren’t updated frequently for more sophisticated technologies that provide real-time information
on the latest cutting-edge health care
discoveries, products and services.”
Smart Business spoke with Dr.
Richards about health information technology and the tools health insurance
companies provide their members to
help them effectively manage the abundance of information available to them.
What vehicles do health insurance companies use to provide health care information?
In the past, sending material through
the mail was the primary route used to
get information to consumers. Today,
many insurance companies are providing that same information and more via
the Internet. A study by the Center for
Studying Health System Change (HSC)
showed that in 2007, 33 percent of
Americans still used traditional sources
such as print magazines, books and
newspapers to obtain health care information. However, in that same year, 32
percent of Americans turned to the
Internet for health information, up from
16 percent in 2001.
What type of information is provided?
Through secure insurance company
Web sites, members can obtain basic
information on their benefits plans such
as coverage levels, status of claims, and
the cost of provider services and medications. These Web sites also provide
links to topics such as the latest diagnostic and treatment options for a variety of medical conditions. As disease
prevention and wellness are now areas
of growing interest to the American population, some insurance companies provide access to online tools that can be
used to assess a member’s current health
status and then provide customized educational information on health improvement and risk reduction.
With so much information available, is it
easy for consumers to become confused?
When confronted with multiple
sources of information, consumers may
become confused about how to best use
the information, which sources to trust, and how to approach their health care
provider with questions that arise as a
result of their research. In addition, completing a health risk assessment or populating an electronic personal health
record may result in even more health
care information being sent to members
based on their health status, which can
be both confusing and overwhelming.
What are insurers doing to help members
manage the large amount of information
from multiple sources?
Some insurance companies are using
sophisticated technology that gathers
data specific to each member and then
acts as a ‘personalized search engine.’
Using data sources such as a member’s
gender, age, ZIP code, benefits plan, and
family and personal medical history to
create a ‘picture’ of the member, this
technology will then connect the user to
health information, programs, providers
and products customized to fit his or her
needs and interests.
What is the future of health information
technology? How will it impact the traditional patient-doctor relationship?
The 2007 HSC study showed that of
adults who sought health information,
more than half (52.4 percent) talked to a
physician or other health professional
about the information. Also, 50.8 percent
found that the information changed their
overall approach to maintaining health,
and 79.9 percent found that the information helped them understand how to
treat an illness or condition. Health information provided by insurance companies
is not meant as a substitute for a medical
evaluation, diagnosis or treatment. On
the contrary, we hope that an informed
and engaged consumer will be able to
more effectively partner with health care
providers to achieve optimal health.
DR. WENDY A. RICHARDS is national medical director for Aetna Small and Middle Market Business. Reach her at (312) 928-3307
or [email protected].
