Updated August 15, 2025
Exciting news for members of Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBSA) plans—the Clinical Data Exchange Hub is now live, and Opala customer in the PNW is already seeing promising results following implementation.
What’s New?
- Live Status: The BCBSA’s new Clinical Data Exchange Hub, introduced in 2024 and designed to enhance clinical data sharing among Blue plans, is now actively operational.
- Real-World Evidence: Among the first adopters in the nation, a PNW healthplan —working with Opala’s Blue Clinical Connect solution—has now gone live and is observing measurable benefits in member care coordination with an average of 20,000 real-time alerts about member hospitalizations each month.
Why This Matters
Whether members live in-state or “out-of-area,” their Blue plan can now receive real-time clinical data—such as hospital admissions, transfers, and discharge notifications—from providers across the nation. This means plans can act swiftly, dispatch case management, and significantly reduce preventable readmissions.
How It Works
- Seamless Connection: Through Opala’s Blue Clinical Connect, BCBSA health plans connect directly to the BCBSA Clinical Data Exchange Hub.
- Timely Alerts: When a member receives care outside their home region, hospital activity (admission, discharge, transfer) triggers immediate alerts to their health plan for resources, tools, and support.
- Swift Intervention: These real-time notifications empower health plans to deploy case management promptly—boosting patient support post-discharge and lowering the risk of readmission.
What’s on the Horizon?
- Broader Participation: As more Blue plans adopt the Hub, this live, real-time data-sharing capability will expand across the network—benefiting all out-of-area members with timely, personalized care.
- Expanded Data Scope: While real-time hospital alerts are the initial focus, the ambition is to scale beyond that—to include lab tests, cancer staging, and medication data—further enriching care decision-making.
The Clinical Data Exchange Hub is now operational, and a PNW health plan is leading the way with tangible outcomes. With real-time hospital alerts underway, the stage is set for richer data exchange and improved member care across Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.
