Integrated Healthcare Management Fuels Efficient Benefits Administration

  
    
  
  
    
      The TriZetto Group’s (NASDAQ: TZIX) 26th 
      Annual Benefits Administration Client Conference, held this month in 
      Chicago, provided a forum for more than 150 representatives from 65 
      organizations to discuss Integrated Healthcare Management (IHM) in 
      benefits administration and the opportunities this approach presents for 
      benefit administrators in today’s challenging 
      national economy.
    
    
      IHM is the systematic application of processes and shared information to 
      optimize the coordination of benefits and care for the healthcare 
      consumer. This emerging industry imperative is playing a major role 
      across all aspects of the healthcare system, including benefits 
      administration.
    
    
      “This was an excellent conference,” 
      said Ed O’Brien, president of Creative Plan 
      Administrators in East Hartford, Conn. “The 
      IHM message is an important one, and I left the event with a lot of 
      great ideas and information from other clients who are implementing IHM 
      strategies and experiencing greater success in the market. The fact that 
      TriZetto is integrating affordable approaches to help us create IHM 
      initiatives of our own is a tremendous benefit for clients such as me.”
    
    
      Today’s benefits administrators are best 
      positioned to capitalize on the IHM directive, using TriZetto’s 
      affordable tools and integrated functionality through the new release of 
      the QicLink™ 4.10 system and the products and 
      services available through the exclusive TriZetto Premier Partnership 
      Program™ (PPP). In addition to workshops 
      about the concept of IHM, PPP and the new functionality and advanced 
      Microsoft® .NET 
      framework of the QicLink 4.10 application, several TriZetto clients 
      shared their experiences in moving forward with IHM-based strategies 
      supported by the QicLink product and offerings of one or more of TriZetto’s 
      premier partners.
    
    
      Jeff Knox, chief technology officer for Mutual Assurance Administrators 
      in Oklahoma City, is currently in the process of final testing of the 
      QicLink 4.10 product release, prior to full implementation in late 
      summer. “As the first licensed client 
      scheduled to move to the new technology, we are happy with the 
      functionality and migration testing we have completed so far. TriZetto 
      has been very committed to supporting our success, and we have been 
      impressed with the input and attention we have received during this 
      process, from Rick Fitzgerald, TriZetto’s 
      senior vice president and chief operating officer of benefits 
      administration, on down. Once we have our infrastructure in place to 
      support the release, we look forward to completing our migration,” 
      stated Knox.
    
    
      “It is through IHM that benefits 
      administrators will be able to make the transformation from paying 
      claims to the broader realm of managing risk and positively impacting 
      the design, delivery, cost and quality of healthcare,” 
      said Joe Manheim, senior vice president of TriZetto benefits 
      administration and CareAdvance™. “By 
      continuing the evolution of our QicLink and other systems, offering high 
      scalability and extensive interoperability, we’re 
      enabling easier integration with new applications and services as they 
      become available, thereby carrying benefits administrators farther down 
      the road toward IHM.”
    
    
      Further information on TriZetto’s QicLink 
      application for benefits administration can be obtained by emailing [e-mail], 
      or an interview with TriZetto’s Manheim may 
      be requested from Schwartz Communications at 781-684-0770 or [e-mail].
    
    
      About TriZetto
    
    
      TriZetto is Powering Integrated Healthcare Management™. 
      With its technology touching more than half of the U.S. insured 
      population, TriZetto is uniquely positioned to drive the convergence of 
      health benefit administration, care management and constituent 
      engagement. The company provides premier information technology 
      solutions that enable payers and other constituents in the healthcare 
      supply chain to improve the coordination of benefits and care for 
      healthcare consumers. Healthcare payers include national and regional 
      health insurance plans, and benefits administrators that provide 
      transaction services to self-insured employer groups. The company’s 
      payer-focused information technology offerings include enterprise and 
      component software, hosting and business process outsourcing services, 
      and consulting. Headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif., TriZetto can be 
      reached at 949-719-2200 or at www.trizetto.com.