Blue Cross welcomes Gurivireddygari as chief data and analytics officer

AMAR GURIVIREDDYGARI brings health care data and analytics experience to Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island as the company's recently named chief data and analytics officer. / COURTESY BLUE CROSS & BLUE SHEILD OF RHODE ISLAND

PROVIDENCE – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island has announced the hire of a chief data and analytics officer.

Amar Gurivireddygari comes to the position with a background in health care data and analytics and plans to better align Blue Cross’ technology capabilities with its data and analytics strategy, the company says.

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One such project is the progress Blue Cross is making with its Systems of Care, which the company hopes to grow to integrate its own systems with those of its provider partners, Blue Cross spokesperson Jill Flaxington said. By aligning systems, the company will be able to pinpoint at-risk members more efficiently and interact with members digitally, she added.

Gurivireddygari is expected to help provide technologic and analytic input on the project.

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He came to Rhode Island from Maryland, where he served as chief data and analytics officer for MedStar Family Choice, a provider-owned health plan. Previously, Gurivireddygari was vice president and chief data officer at WellCare Health Plans Inc. in Florida and was global head of enterprise data and analytics at Medtronic Inc. in Minnesota.

Blue Cross executives say Gurivireddygari’s background in managed care transformation, population health management, clinical informatics and disease management are a natural fit for the company’s current needs.

His duties will run parallel to those of NTT Communications, which manages applications for Blue Cross, said Blue Cross Chief Financial Officer Mark Stewart.

“Although data and analytics does rely upon the applications NTT is managing, and therefore would have a working relationship with members of the NTT team, Amar doesn’t have direct oversight of any of those roles,” Stewart said. “Amar will be focused more on advancing our analytic capabilities of the company, rather than the physical infrastructure which NTT assists us in managing.”

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