Saint Joseph Health System (SJHS) and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield have signed a new provider network agreement to work together on several healthcare initiatives. 

This multi-year partnership ensures that patients at SJHS, a not-for-profit healthcare system in North Central Indiana, who are enrolled in Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans, will continue to have access to affordable healthcare. 

The agreement will allow the two entities to enhance their collaboration on a range of innovative initiatives, such as advanced data connectivity and value-based care (VBC) models, which aim to improve health outcomes. 

Such initiatives will also help in managing the costs of care for SJHS patients with Anthem health plans. 

A significant technological advancement in this collaboration is the integration of the Epic Payer Platform into the regular operations of both organisations.  

This Epic Payer platform will facilitate a more secure flow of patient data, improve operational efficiency, and expedite approval processes, leading to better patient outcomes. 

In addition, the platform has a Clinical Data Exchange feature, which is designed to simplify processes and reduce the administrative burden on medical staff.  

This allows doctors to dedicate more time to patient care, rather than paperwork. 

The latest effort builds on the existing partnership between SJHS and Anthem related to VBC delivery and quality-based payment models. 

It includes the implementation of Anthem’s advanced VBC methodology, marking a significant step towards healthcare models that align payment with the dual goals of improved health outcomes and reduced cost trends. 

SJHS president Chris Karam said: “We are excited to have reached an agreement with Anthem, without disruptions in our mission, to provide affordable and high-quality healthcare to our patients. 

“We expect this agreement to positively impact health outcomes while also ensuring that our healthcare services remain accessible to a larger community.”