Providers need to be able to keep the patient in the loop of course. But caregivers, including family, can be equally critical. If the patient is incapable of accessing or using the engagement platform and reaching out to the clinical team, the family should be on the platform too.
HCB News: So a patient engagement platform is an essential tool in succeeding under BPCI Advanced?
TJ: Yes, it’s a real advantage. What we know is that independent of how providers manage post acute care, using patient engagement, based on our specific experience, costs can be reduced by about $656 per case, and those are dollars that drop straight to the bottom line. To put that in perspective, if I’m a doctor doing total joint replacements and my income per case is $1,500, that’s a 30% increase in payment per case. If you stack that up over a year, that becomes very financially meaningful.
How does the platform achieve those savings? It boils down to two components. The first is that by preparing patients before the procedure, and then having daily interaction with them afterward, physicians can set their expectations and help them understand what they need to do at home. This translates into a net decrease in complications. For instance, if in the week leading up to surgery the patient is diligently doing infection prevention techniques such as using an antibacterial mouth rinse and antibacterial washes, there will be fewer incidences of surgical site infection after discharge. And if every day post surgery the patient is increasing blood flow through ankle turns and other exercise, they are at a lower risk for blood clots.
The second component is early detection when there is a problem. The patient engagement platform can detect issues early and then the care management team can direct patients to come into the clinic. An office consult, of course, is much less expensive than an ER visit. Or, instead of a hospital readmission the patient is seen in the ER—a kind of “downshift” effect.
Patient engagement platforms can keep patients on their plan and resolve events earlier, containing costs and improving outcomes. This is where providers are going to benefit under BPCI.
HCB News: Can you provide other instances?
TJ: Yes. We know that patients who have a smart diet leading up to surgery have better outcomes and heal faster, and those who clean up their house to reduce tripping hazards after surgery have fewer calls at home. Patient engagement technology helps by setting an attitude even before the procedure takes place. A patient who goes into the procedure with the right mind set and bodily condition makes a huge difference in recovery.
Also, we know that certain activities after discharge really reduce the incidence of adverse events. One of these is ambulating properly. Through patient engagement platforms, we can closely monitor their signs and symptoms after discharge so we can prevent or limit adverse events. Working with a care management team who is engaged through the platform becomes a real game changer. Every patient gets the benefit of the continuous conversation with the medical team really 30 days before admission and 90 days after discharge. This allows providers to focus not just on the 3-5% of patients with serious issues but with 100% of the patients to deliver a truly exceptional experience to all of them It also reduces the drag on patients and providers so that they can work efficiently. We will discuss these and other benefits of these platforms in a separate article in DOTmed Healthcare Business News.
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