Access to care is one of the most critical factors influencing member health outcomes and satisfaction. When members struggle to navigate the healthcare system, it can lead to delayed treatment, unmet health needs, and poor overall experiences. Challenges such as scheduling difficulties, disjointed provider interactions, and a lack of understanding of benefits and costs compound these issues, leaving members frustrated and disengaged.
Research published by the National Institutes of Health found that delayed access to care is associated with a 17% higher rate of avoidable hospitalizations¹, underscoring the direct impact of access barriers on health outcomes. These challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, further widening health disparities.
Alleviating these challenges requires innovative solutions that integrate advanced scheduling capabilities, personalized member support, and real-time data tracking to enable targeted, effective outreach. By efficiently addressing barriers and delivering tailored solutions to individual needs, these approaches not only enhance the member experience but also support sustained progress throughout a person’s healthcare journey.
Here are five ways that ReferWell is helping to make healthcare easier and more accessible for health plans.
1. Curate Your Provider Network
A curated provider network ensures members can access top-quality, cost-effective providers who are best suited to meet their needs. By leveraging advanced analytics and rigorous provider evaluations, health plans can reduce health disparities and ensure equitable access to care. A focused network enables smoother referrals and better alignment between providers and members, ultimately leading to improved outcomes and higher satisfaction levels.
2. Schedule the Right Care at the Right Time
Understanding where members are on their healthcare journey is key to creating meaningful engagement. By proactively addressing multiple healthcare needs through well-timed outreach, health plans can simplify the process for members and provide a smoother, more supportive experience. Utilizing advanced scheduling tools ensures that members connect with the most appropriate provider efficiently, driving better care outcomes and effectively bridging gaps in the healthcare continuum.
3. Track Member Show Rates and Care Gap Closures
Tracking whether members attend appointments and monitoring care gap closures is essential to ensuring compliance with quality and risk adjustment goals. Real-time tracking tools provide actionable insights, enabling health plans to identify and address gaps in care promptly. By highlighting future care needs, health plans can proactively support members in staying on track with their health journeys.
4. Follow Up for a Positive Member Experience
A positive experience fosters stronger engagement. Providing concierge-level support through empathetic Care Navigators ensures members feel supported at every step of their journey. Capturing member feedback helps health plans refine engagement strategies and improve service delivery. Holistic care access solutions ensure that no member feels lost in the system, creating a more satisfying and effective care journey.
5. Leverage Data-Driven Insights for Continuous Improvement
Data is a powerful tool for understanding member behaviors and improving care delivery. By analyzing data to close loops, fine-tune processes, and identify areas for improvement, health plans can create year-round engagement programs. These programs, such as CAHPS improvement initiatives and chronic condition management, are designed to improve member satisfaction and health outcomes.
How ReferWell Can Help
Improving access to care isn’t just about removing logistical barriers; it’s about reimagining the member experience with innovative, integrated solutions. ReferWell’s personalized care navigation and seamless appointment scheduling platform exemplifies this approach by bringing together three critical elements: empathetic Care Navigators who guide members through every step of their healthcare journey, a dynamic scheduling platform that ensures timely access to care, and comprehensive engagement programs that sustain ongoing member support and close care gaps effectively.
Together, these elements create a seamless system that drives stronger member engagement, improves health outcomes, reduces costs, and fosters a healthier, more satisfied population. To learn more about ReferWell’s care access programs, download the Care Access Complete Program brochure today!
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. “Delayed Access to Care and Its Impact on Health Outcomes.” PubMed Central, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10546541/.
