Value-Based Care More Important Than Ever in 2017

Value-Based Care

January 31, 2017
|value-based care interaction himms17
Ben Henson
Value-Based Care

Value-Based Care More Important Than Ever in 2017

Ben Henson
January 31, 2017
|value-based care interaction himms17

It's a new year and a new presidency, and with that comes great uncertainty as to the future of healthcare in America. Early action has already been taken to ensure the dismantling of Obamacare and replacing it with some to-be-determined solution. The truth of the matter is that the cost of healthcare won't be decreasing anytime soon. If anything, costs will continue to rise, caused partly by the large number of baby boomers entering retirement and an increase in life expectancies, coupled with the increasing costs of technologies that impact such long lifespans.New administration notwithstanding, the expectations of Washington to see healthcare costs controlled will only grow. This is why Value-Based Care will continue to increase in popularity as it seeks to reward providers who actively reduce overall treatment costs and readmission rates. Bipartisan support for Value-Based Care initiatives increased over the last 12 months, as more programs were tested and put into place by CMS.More than ever, healthcare organizations must now takes steps to prepare for Value-Based Care to overcome challenges and succeed with the new programs. These steps include:

Identify and communicate hidden patient risks.

The devil is in the details. Encourage your team to gather as much information as possible about the patient. This ensures that all care team members can view vital data about an individual’s medical history, symptoms, and treatments which leads to a decrease in costly mistakes and readmission.

Establish a collaborative communication channel for the entire care team.

Take advantage of secure clinical communication collaboration tools, such as QliqSOFT’s CareChannels to maintain a constant stream of messages around a care episode. This way, care team members along the entire care continuum, from pre-admission, to post-discharge can view the entire course of treatment for a single patient.

Develop collaborative post-acute partnerships.

Since Value-Based Care requires admitting hospitals to manage all expenses incurred during a care episode, it is vitally important for strategic partnerships to be developed outside of that organization. Working closely with skilled nursing facilities and other post-acute providers allows hospitals to monitor patients’ recovery to proactively avoid re-admissions as well as streamline charge capture and payment receipt.

Increase attention on transitions of care.

Transitions of care are often the culprit when it comes to mistakes that lead to readmission. Using CareChannels allows for every care team member, whether located in another department or in another organization, to be aware of the entire course of care that has been administered up to the transition, thus ensuring the continuation of proper care, the prevention of repeated tests and procedures, and a decrease in readmission rates.

QliqSOFT is aligning closely with hospitals and post-acute care organizations to help them achieve these goals.  Our CareChannel clinical collaboration solution enables a single stream of communication that follows each patient throughout a care episode. These conversations can then be associated with the patient record. Additionally, CareChannels are made available to the appropriate care team members, so that the right people are connected and collaborating around a single patient. Finally, CareChannels ensure continuous, unbroken communication even if patient care transitions to different providers or healthcare organizations. Effective collaboration is the key to success with Value-based HealthCare programs.As 2017 continues to unfold, more changes, and possibly hurdles, can be expected. However, it is safe to say that Value-Based Care should have a long life ahead of it as more and more hospitals wrap their collective heads around the concept. To advance your organization’s Value-Based Care initiatives, opt for CareChannels by QliqSOFT. CLICK HERE to learn more.

value-based care interaction himms17
The Author
Ben Henson

A lifelong communicator, this Tennessee native got his start in broadcast news before branching out into public media, corporate, communications, digital advertising, and integrated marketing. Prior to joining QliqSOFT as the company's first marketing team member, Ben shared his talents with organizations that include the University of Alabama, iHeartMedia, and The Kroger Company.

Engaging Patients &
Connecting Care Teams

Flexible. Easy. Secure.

Experience the power of QliqSOFT's digital engagement platform to reduce staff burnout, keep your patients engaged and reduce staff costs.

Learn More

Let’s put you in touch with the right person to learn more about use cases, functionality and cost.

Choose your preferred contact:

Thank you! We'll reach out to you soon!

Want the latest in blogs in your inbox?
Subscribe to our blogs for more!

Thank you!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.