Cal Index, the new health care data exchange being launched by Anthem Blue Cross of California and Blue Shield of California, has named its first CEO, formerOracle executive David Watson.
The appointment is effective immediately, officials at the exchange — formally known as the California Integrated Data Exchange — said Tuesday.
Anthem and Blue Shield, rival health plans that are among the biggest in the Golden State, say the new San Francisco-based exchange will collect and store electronic patient records from 9 million health plan enrollees, or about one-fourth of the state’s population.
Anthem and Blue Shield said in early August they’re investing $80 million in the project to cover its first three years of operation. At the time, Blue Shield spokesman Steve Shivinsky said that Dignity Health, Hill Physicians Medical Group and others had expressed interest in the exchange.
The exchange should be operational by year-end, officials said.
Most recently, Watson was global vice president of health care product strategy at Redwood City-based Oracle Corp. Before that, he was COO and earlier chief technology officer at MedeAnalytics, and earlier held the chief technology officer post at Kaiser Permanente.
About 30 health care providers are expected to participate in the exchange, but none of their names have been disclosed.
Date: September 02, 2014