Blue Cross teams up with U-M for primary care research grants

Blue Cross Blue Shield is teaming up with the University of Michigan and Michigan State University on $2.7 million worth of research grants designed to help improve primary patient care in Michigan.

U-M will handle two of these grants, representing about $900,000. MSU is in charge of the third and biggest grant worth $1.8 million. These grants will largely focus on primary care given through physicians' offices to patients, and how best to improve, streamline and encourage change in delivering that care.

The largest grant will pay to compare care management programs delivered through a doctor's office with similar programs delivered through a health plan. The study will seek to determine which is more effective in terms of care management, clinical health indicators, and appropriate use of health services.

"Our hypothesis is when it's their doctor that they see routinely that doctor will be able to engage them more effectively than the healthcare plan provider," says Darline El Reda, director of clinical epidemiology & biostatistics for Blue Cross Blue Shield.

All three grants will take place over a three-year time period. They will also incorporate doctors offices from across Michigan, especially in Metro Detroit. Researchers hope the findings from these studies will lead to similar primary care improvements on a national level.

Source: Darline El Reda, director of clinical epidemiology & biostaticts for Blue Cross Blue Shield
Writer: Jon Zemke

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