Here is an interesting story about how Wellpoint is teaming with IBM to use the super computers of Big Blue to develop new tools for physicians to use in the patient care process.

A few headline thoughts flashed through our mind as we read the story:

• If you think of the big payer organizations as insurance companies, your point of view is probably outdated.  They believe they are supposed to engineer the delivery system as well and this provides a peek into that thinking.  This is a well intentioned play that could be highly valuable to physicians, but it shows Wellpoint does not think of itself just as someone who processes claims.
• We've been telling our clients for years that healthcare is now an IT-based business and that many physicians are bringing a knife to a gun fight.  When was the last time your practice thought about engaging IBM to build this type of leading edge tool?  Exactly.  Just one more reason why small independent practices face a daunting task to just survive.
• We've talked in this space before about the value of 'big data,' extremely large data sets.  The big payers have big data and are investing to convert it to new forms of value.  Here is one more example.