Why do so many of us place a high priority on our health but a low priority on doing what's required to stay healthy? There is no one right answer to this seemingly contradictory question. However, we do know that having the information we need to help us make the right decisions is part of the answer.

Every day healthcare decision points appear. Doctors make prescribing decisions, pharmacists advise patients on how to take their medications and patients make their own decisions about what they will do after they leave their doctor's office and their pharmacy. In many cases, patients' do not follow health care professionals' instructions. In other cases, instructions may have been different had all the participants seen the same information.

EmpiRx Health can help. With a unique health care information system based on the IBM Health Plan Data Model, we have the ability to create a clear picture of a patient's encounters with the health care system in all areas, not just prescriptions. This picture allows our clinicians to assist health care providers and patients whose actions are not helping them get well or stay healthy.

For example, when treating joint pain, a different drug regimen may be used for a patient with a history of bleeding ulcers vs. one who has no history of GI problems. Or when treating hypertension with prescription drugs, a different protocol may be used for a post heart attack patient vs. one who has never had a heart attack. Integrated health information based on evidence based medicine and provided at the point of decision (or as close thereafter as possible) can help rationalize therapy choices and improve patient outcomes.

Helping healthcare providers to change treatment is only part of the battle to improve health. Even with the appropriate knowledge at the point of decision, acting in a manner supportive of your health is not an easy matter. Again EmpiRx Health can help. We provide member tailored programs that keep you motivated to achieve your health goals. Concentrating on chronic conditions, like Hypertension, our disease management programs focus on engaging participants in a proactive approach to managing their own health. So, by having the technology to identify health problems and providing motivational programs to address them is one answer BeneCard PBF has for the health care system.