CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and Maryland State Medical Society (MedChi) Announce Partnership to Provide Physicians Access to Telehealth Platform

Complimentary telehealth access will help physicians increase access to quality care

Baltimore, Md./Washington, D.C. – Today, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield (CareFirst) and the Maryland State Medical Society (MedChi) announced a partnership to provide MedChi independent physician practices with five or fewer members, a year of complimentary access to DrFirst’s Backline Telehealth platform for physicians who enroll between March 1st and December 31st of 2020. DrFirst is a Maryland-based company that offers secure telehealth services. This partnership will equip additional Maryland physicians with the technology they need to provide needed virtual care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

“As MedChi continues to advocate for Maryland physicians, we are pleased to partner with CareFirst to expand access to virtual care platforms that will help additional physicians meet the needs of their patients during this challenging time,” said Gene Ransom, CEO, of MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society.

“CareFirst continues to take action to ensure our members have access to telehealth services, and to partner with our physician community as they find new ways to care for patients,” said Brian Pieninck, President and CEO of CareFirst. “Our work with MedChi will help to support people as they do their part to stay home and slow the spread of COVID-19, while still ensuring they have virtual access to the care they need.”

Information about how providers can sign-up for this service and funding will be available on MedChi’s website by April 17, 2020.

About CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

In its 83rd year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit healthcare company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to 3.3 million individuals and employers in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia. In 2019, CareFirst invested $43 million to improve overall health, and increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of healthcare throughout its market areas. To learn more about CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, visit our website at www.carefirst.com.

About MedChi

MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society, is a non-profit membership association of Maryland physicians. It is the largest physician organization in Maryland. The mission of MedChi is to serve as Maryland’s foremost advocate and resource for physicians, their patients and the public health of Maryland. For more information, please visit www.medchi.org.

About DrFirst

Since 2000, DrFirst has pioneered healthcare technology solutions and consulting services that securely connect people at touchpoints of care to improve patient outcomes. We create unconventional solutions that solve care collaboration, medication management, price transparency and adherence challenges faced in healthcare. We unite the Healthiverse by providing our clients with real-time access to the information they need, exactly when and how they need it – so patients get the best care possible. DrFirst solutions are used by nearly 300,000 healthcare professionals, including more than 100,000 prescribers, and more than 1,400 hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit DrFirst.com.

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