ilab.1: A University-industry Collaboration to Enhance Health Plan Services

Abstract

There is an urgent need to transform all elements of the U. S. health care services system. Concerns about increasing costs and questions about quality have moved the health care system to center stage on the nation's agenda. Within this system, health plans are a critical component. They provide insurance financing for health care services, and participate in efforts to increase health care quality and reduce health care costs. iLab.1, the Information Laboratory for Health Plans, is a new collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology and Excellus Health Plan, Inc. The Lab's programs and activities seek to enhance health plan services by developing system architectures, processes, and tools for increasing the availability, exchange, and sharing of health care and health services information. Increased information availability is considered to be a necessary condition for moving the transformation forward.(1)