What will happen in 2023 for cutting-edge primary care, technology integration, and clinical intelligence
Premier Health is one of the largest direct healthcare providers in the country. Its approach focuses on clinical expertise, easy access to care, and a seamless and simple patient experience.
Premise has a network of more than 800 health care centers in 45 states and Guam. Premise doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists and other service providers deliver care in person and online, providing a personalized experience and technical connection. number.
Beth Ratliff is the COO of Premise Health. Healthcare IT News spoke with her to discuss the transition to primary care and advanced lifestyle medicine, the power of mapping and leveraging patient data, and clinical intelligence in primary healthcare transformation and key trends driving the future of healthcare.
Q. You see a bright future for advanced primary care and lifestyle medicine to better address chronic diseases and prevent them. Please talk about what these options are and why you believe they have a solid future.
ONE. Advanced primary care is a model of health care that strengthens patients’ engagement with their own health by focusing on expanded access to comprehensive, holistic health care. people and population-level health outcomes, among others.
Over time, it helps people live healthier lives, which reduces healthcare costs for both employers and employees. Many healthcare providers operate on a fee-for-service or volume-based model. This model rewards healthcare providers based on the number of patients they treat and the procedures they provide rather than the patient’s health outcomes.
In contrast, enhanced primary care requires reorganized payment models, incentivizing providers to focus on patient health outcomes and quality care over quantity.
Lifestyle medicine is a clinical approach that promotes the use of health behavior change as the primary way to prevent, treat, and reverse many medical conditions. It is often broken down into the seven pillars of a healthy lifestyle: nutrition, exercise, mental well-being/stress, sleep, substance-free, adequate water, and being outdoors.
Through this approach, providers can help patients learn new ways to manage conditions that can affect their lives simply by adopting healthier habits. A focus on prevention helps patients and employers accrue lower costs over time by reducing emergency room visits, surgeries, and expensive medications.
I’m excited about cutting-edge primary care and lifestyle medicine because both help people stay healthier. Good news about the US health care system is hard to come by, and it’s gratifying and exciting to see the impact these approaches to care have.
Q. How can mapping and leveraging patient data and clinical intelligence transform primary care?
ONE. Overall, the goal of incorporating patient data and clinical information into primary care is to focus our resources and proactive efforts on the people and populations most in need of support. When we have access to claims-based data, we can identify who on our team is at risk.
Who has been to the hospital recently, or received a scary diagnosis? Our care teams can then contact them to see what they need. Would reaching out to a care navigator help? Do they want to connect with a registered dietitian or physical therapist?
When we can connect the right people to the right care, we can have a huge impact on their lives. At scale, we improve the health of the entire population.
Q. What are some of the top trends you see driving? Healthcare in 2023? Especially things related to Healthinformation technology care.
ONE. One of the top overarching trends we’re seeing in the healthcare sector is pent-up demand and leading to a need for care “bubble”. Surveys indicate that employers are expecting higher employer demand and that managing chronic conditions is a direct result of delayed care, which will lead to costs. higher in the coming years.
Many organizations are looking to reduce long-term costs as they face this trend, while managing rising inflation in the healthcare sector. However, employers realize that if they pass costs on to workers, two things can be done. First, it can reduce access or lead to delayed care, which ultimately leads to poorer employee health and higher healthcare costs.
Second, it can make them less competitive in a tight labor market. Instead of sharing costs, many employers are looking to consolidate benefits, drive greater use, and increase return on investment.
A related trend is that healthcare technology integration will become a big focus for organizations in the future. The added benefit during the pandemic and the feedback we’ve received from companies is that many of their employees aren’t sure what services they even have access to.
Usage remains low for many of these tools due to a lack of awareness and engagement. We anticipate more companies will begin consolidating and combining services to streamline access to care.
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Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
