In many ways, current approaches to care leave most health consumers, even those actively seeking connections, underserved. They lack convenient, timely access to the care resources and support they want and need. In fact, only 37% of consumers feel that their health system offers good, very good, or excellent access to care.
To change this, it’s important that we focus on surrounding every person with support. This means offering tools, resources, and services that are inclusive and comprehensive, covering a broad spectrum of preferences, circumstances, and needs. After all, each person is different and what is useful or convenient for one might not be for another.
These tools, resources, and services should extend beyond an initial treatment plan, prescription, or doctor visit, and should include case manager support, health literacy and other educational materials, behavioral health counseling, transportation services, easy connections to specialists, and more. Overall, these tools, resources and services should help consumers navigate the healthcare system in a way that is convenient and create an experience that is seamless and coordinated.
There was a recent situation in which one of our case managers recognized that a patient was using the Emergency Department frequently. As a result, the case manager proactively reached out to the patient and asked a series of questions to fully understand the situation. Through the conversation, the case manager learned that the patient had a progressive disease which resulted in several falls and, importantly, the case manager identified that the patient could benefit from educational materials regarding fall safety as well as other resources to help prevent future accidents. By supporting the patient with educational tools and resources beyond the initial disease diagnosis, the case manager could ensure that the patient was surrounded with the right support to effectively navigate the situation, which resulted in a much-improved quality of life for the patient.
As this example demonstrates, surrounding consumers with support is an important part of delivering a true consumer-centric care experience that ultimately results in better health outcomes. And it’s important that this support is comprehensive, including a variety of resources, tools, and capabilities. This way, we can become true partners in care, meeting consumers where they are, when they need it, no matter the circumstance.
