Good news to all clients of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas! Last Monday, the health insurance company has announced that they will be implementing a new program in five North Texas counties to lay more emphasis on wellness and manage diseases.

The insurer has created this so-called medical home program with two physician groups, Medical Clinic of North Texas and Village Health Partners, which provide care for more than 20,000 members in Dallas, Denton, Tarrant, Collin and Johnson counties.

This program refers to a coordinated system of primary care physicians, specialists and pharmacists sharing a patient’s information electronically. As of the moment, the health care system in Texas is mostly incoherent. For instance, patients with chronic conditions often are treated for each medical symptom rather than taking care of the underlying disease, such as diabetes.

“The medical home is really the new model of care for the 21st century,” said Dr. Christopher Crow, president of Village Health Partners. “It combines the traditional hands-on approach that family medicine has always been known for with the latest technology to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time in the right setting.”