Highmark has signed a partnership agreement with PatientPoint, which provides self-service and revenue cycle management applications.

Pittsburgh-based Highmark, the state’s largest health insurer, will deploy PatientPoint self-service check-in technology to select providers in its Western Pennsylvania market.

The pilot initiative aims to support providers in collecting self-reported patient data, leading to potential improvements in quality reporting standards, PatientPoint said in a statement. The applications also might help Highmark to better engage its members by providing personalized messages about ways to better manage their health and costs, officials said.
”PatientPoint is an example of a technology that fits into our overall innovation strategy aimed at leveraging emerging technologies that drive better health outcomes,” said Paul Puopolo, vice president of business innovation and Development at Highmark, in a statement.

“We often don’t interact with our members at the true point of care – the doctor’s office,” Puopolo added.

He indicated the applications will provide the insurer, which also provides coverage in the central portion of the state, with “the opportunity to drive value for our members by giving them personalized health and cost information while they’re in the waiting room that can then lead to meaningful conversations with their doctor in the exam room.” Future pilots may also include follow-up mobile messaging to members, officials said.
The pilot program will launch in Pittsburgh and provide PatientPoint self-service kiosks at select doctors during the next year. Patients may use the tablet kiosk to update or confirm existing demographic and insurance information, and complete other practice forms as well as pay their copayments, coinsurance or deductible balances.

Raj Toleti, CEO of PatientPoint, said in a statement that the applications will be “able to not only empower [patients] to take a more active role in managing their health, but also help providers have more information about their patients at the point of service.”

Highmark serves 4.7 million members in Pennsylvania and West Virginia through the company’s health care benefits business.