(CHAPEL HILL) -- An innovative joint venture between Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and UNC Health Care opened this week in Chapel Hill. Carolina Advanced Health will provide care for 5,000 Blue Cross members with chronic conditions.

"Which will in effect provide a one stop shop for primary care where patients can go to a patient centered medical home where their chronic illnesses can be treated," said BCBSNC CEO Brad Wilson.

Carolina Advanced Health is designed to enable teams of health care professionals to collaborate on care for patients with chronic conditions such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, asthma and major depression.

“We are pleased to partner with BCBSNC on this effort,” said UNC Health Care CEO William L. Roper, MD, MPH. “This is just the beginning of what we hope will be a new era in personalized health care that leads to improved patient health, greater efficiency, and lower health care costs.”

Wilson added that he expects this type of medical practice to help hold down costs and improve care.