Med-Vantage, a California-based healthcare software solutions provider, announced updates to its consumer transparency software for 2009.
The Med-Vantage HealthSmart Enhanced Provider Directory v3.0 gives access to quality and cost provider information to engage customers with credible content needed to support
healthcare provider search and decision-making. The enhancements also help consumers compare facilities for common diagnostic outpatient procedures.
Med-Vantage officials said, with the new updates, they want to make the directory the real hub of the user experience and to provide ready access to any other information that can help the consumer navigate and plan their healthcare options.
Provider Directory's previous version included Physician Cost and Quality Indicators, and a Medical Cost Estimator for treatment cost planning. In the new release, Med-Vantage has enhanced the product by including Hospital Quality and Hospital Cost of Care Scores and Cost Ranges and also Facility Cost of Care Scores and Cost Ranges.
The Cost Estimator feature of the new release is enhanced with expanded conditions, surgeries, and procedure coverage
data for more comprehensive cost estimation. With this, the estimator is able to provide cost estimates for approximately 250 conditions, 300 surgeries and procedures in any geographic area. It also provides personalized out-of-pocket cost estimates to make it easier for patients to estimate the ultimate costs for medical intervention.
The new Provider Directory also advances the consumers' ability to search for a provider based on a specific health issue through a powerfully efficient new keyword feature, officials said. With this enhanced feature, users can just type in the medical problem and the software will find doctors who treat the particular illness.
Enhancements are also made to the Consumer Education section with a new feature called ‘Questions to Ask Your Doctor,’ which, according to the company, helps consumers plan to get the most value from their physician visits. Additionally, they can access
Healthwise contents for getting information regarding health issues. The directory also offers enriched educational content through partnership with
Wired.MD for their patient education videos.
“It has always been our strategy to enhance the provider directory with the quality and cost information fully integrated and available right where the consumer is trying to explore their choices,” said Peter Goldbach, MD, Med-Vantage president and chief executive officer, in a statement.
Med-Vantage also offers hospital quality ratings through partnerships with HealthGrades and the Joint Commission, thus making the HealthSmart Provider Directory a complete provider directory solution, officials said.
Edited by
Jessica Kostek
