Anthem-Epic Data-Sharing Plan Could Boost Care Coordination

In a move the two companies believe will lead to greater levels of interoperability and help improve care coordination and clinical decision-making, Anthem and Epic are collaborating to expand bidirectional data exchange. The partnership will integrate Epic’s payer platform into Anthem’s operating system while Anthem will add Epic’s information to its sources.

The integration also will include clinical information and admissions, discharge and transfer data to support clinical decision-making and streamline administrative processes like prior authorization. For example, Anthem-affiliated providers will be able to send prior authorizations through Epic and receive an answer instead of via phone or fax — a move designed to reduce administrative burden.

Anthem will be able to capture consumer health information provided by clinicians, analyze the data and develop data-driven insights. These insights then can be delivered to the provider/care team — in near real time — to identify potential care gaps, improve care coordination and inform treatment decisions.

MetroHealth System in Cleveland will be one of the initial providers to use the platform. More participating providers will be added as the collaboration continues, according to Anthem.