Be Proactive about Keeping High-Cost, High-Risk Patients Out of the ER

by | Jan 12, 2017 | Blog

[Author:

STEPHEN KEELER  |  VP, Payer & Provider Sales]
 
 
Diabetes treatment cost the United States $244 billion in 2012. According to an NPR report, the cost jumps to $322 billion when you factor in lost productivity because of illness and disability.

This is just one of the chronic diseases people live with across the country. Congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis – all of these illnesses and more land people in the emergency room every month with issues that could have been avoided if caught earlier. Instead of a proactive approach, many practices are taking a reactive approach, ultimately costing them and their patients time and money that could have been saved.

As the country’s march toward value-based care continues and technology takes center stage, a reactive approach is of the past. Just take a look at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ March 2016 announcement – 30 percent of Medicare payments are tied to quality. The agency projects that 50 percent of all Medicare payments will be tied to quality by 2018.

As a provider, how do you stay ahead of the curve and embrace a proactive approach to care for your patients while saving your bank? Practices that are taking a proactive approach are investing in digital health devices and providing them to patients, so that they can track blood sugars and heart rate and weight fluctuations – wirelessly and in real time with their physicians.

Find a Digital Platform that Makes You Money by Keeping Up with Your Patients
You want to care for your patients, but can’t be with them all the time. That’s where a digital platform comes in. Think about it – with the move to connected households, seniors are jumping on the bandwagon and using technology in their daily lives.

Find a platform that lets you monitor your patients and send alerts, while allowing your patients to self-report their health status. This sets up your practice to monitor medication adherence and reconcile any potential drug interactions – ultimately, enabling early detection and proactive intervention, reducing avoidable hospital admissions and emergency room visits. You make money and your patients receive better care than ever before.

It’s a new year with new opportunities. Chronic diseases aren’t going away – and the costs to keep your patients healthy are rising. It really comes down to one decision: Are you going to be reactive or proactive in 2017?