Over the past few years, as our nation and industry has grappled with an unprecedented healthcare crisis, the conversation around quality of care has shifted, and then shifted again. In an uncertain environment how do we consistently ensure healthcare is effective, safe, and people-centric? If anything has become clearer, it’s that there is no silver bullet, no one-sized-fits-all solution to improving quality of care. But the mission of improving quality of care remains more important than ever before.
With a healthcare system that is simultaneously overburdened to the points of collapse and struggling to maintain a level of day-to-day normalcy, we must look for small wins and innovations that lessen the burdens, improve care, and bring us closer to our goals. Here are three things to think about implementing in 2022 to do just that.
Preventative care is a vital and necessary aspect to healthcare, yet, every year people choose not to participate with simple measures that will keep them well. Whether it be an annual wellness visit, a flu shot or a cancer screening, study after study has shown that staying on top of your health proactively leads to better outcomes – clinically AND financially. As a result, a high value is placed on preventative care when it comes to quality measure achievement. Programs like care management, which provide consistent outreach to high-risk patients, can lead to a significant increase in participation with preventative care. The simple acts of discussing with patients what is available to them, reminding them to participate, and then following up to ensure that they have, is integrated into any good care management program. That’s why Wellbox consistently sees preventative measure participation rates 2-3x greater within its population and as a direct downstream result – hospitalization rates that are 2x lower.
Telehealth will never (and should never) replace in-office visits. However, like most things, there is an appropriate time and place where telehealth and new technologies can enhance the experience of the patient improving retention, satisfaction and outcomes. Having this option for specific demographics of your population can also help ensure that those with specific risks around COVID-19, immunocompromised people for example, have access to consistent healthcare without exposing themselves to danger. As people increasingly look for additional ways to access healthcare, providers that have a full-range of solutions will be able to meet the changing needs and expectations of their patient panel, increasing access, a principal tenet to high-quality care.
It’s hard, if not impossible, to understand where to focus these days. Knowing where you are already doing well and where there may be an opportunity for improvement is an absolutely crucial first step to improving your quality measures without wasting time and resource. Once you understand where to focus, building a strategic plan and roadmap and making sure your organization is doing the things necessary to achieve those goals will ensure you get there, leaving nothing to chance. You don’t have to improve in every single area to make a difference; you know your patients better than anyone else. Determine what they would benefit most from, be selective, and where necessary bring in experts to get the job done. Moving the needle forward incrementally will also ensure any changes you make are implemented well and will be easier to sustain long-term. You don’t have to move mountains to improve quality-of-care!
New solutions and technologies can seem like a lot to take on, especially with an already full plate. Finding a partner that can help you implement and manage new initiatives gives you and your patients all of the benefits without taking on additional burdens.
Since 2015, we have been driving significant clinical and financial improvements within our partner practices. We get the results you need, and we are eager to prove it! Starting in 2022, Wellbox will be offering free quality scoring services for all of its Care Management customers.
We are so confident that we will have a positive impact on your quality measures that we will do your MACRA MIPS reporting for you – free of charge.
Contact us today if you would like to learn more about how Wellbox can implement this tactic and drive outcomes for your patient population.
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