How Covid-19 extended the care team

States continue to relax Covid-19 restrictions, patients are returning to routine health care, and vaccination numbers continue to rise. It is becoming increasingly clear that we have turned the pandemic around the corner. Healthcare executives all recognize that Covid-19 has fundamentally changed healthcare, but how will care models evolve? What does the future of healthcare look like?

Some healthcare executives may point to the rise of new technologies like telemedicine for virtual care, while others will consider new models like value-based care that take center stage. One important change that hasn't caught the same amount of attention but is just as important in many ways is the rise of the extended care team. We're finally moving past the point where concierge assistance was reserved for the rich. The pandemic has ushered in a new era of technology-enabled healthcare that provides holistic support to patients, whether inside or outside the doctor's office.

A patient's health "team" is growing, and the following are some of the new players who will support patients in the post-Covid-19 world:

Care Manager: The quarterback of the patient's health journey
Have you made your vaccination appointment? Did you pick up your prescription refill? More than ever, patients are receiving personal calls and messages from care managers to assess status, ensure medication compliance, design care plans, provide training, and facilitate follow-up visits. In fact, calls between care managers and patients increased by nearly 70% between 2019 and 2020, according to VirtualHealth data. Nursing managers empower patients to navigate the health system more effectively by ensuring equal access and supporting compliance with prescribed activities and interventions.

While this is not new to the health scene, the important role of care managers has grown significantly during the pandemic. As payers and providers move to value-based care models and proactive healthcare, patients and members become more and more familiar with a partner on their journey in healthcare. Rather than waiting for patients to enter the healthcare system at the point where emergency care is needed, care managers proactively reach out to patients to prevent healthcare adverse events. For example, if a patient is due for an annual check-up, a care manager can reach out to the patient to make an appointment while also coordinating a rideshare service to assist with transportation.

Community Resources: The Non-Clinical Patient Support
While care managers can be considered the quarterback of the extended health team, community resources are the deep bank that extends beyond the doctor's office. With non-clinical factors determining up to 80% of a patient's health, it is important that care managers refer patients to community resources that support their socio-economic, behavioral, and daily living needs.

Community resources ranging from food banks to social work to transportation, housing assistance and behavioral counseling are becoming an increasingly important part of a patient's treatment plan. Look at the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. Patients in rural areas may not have access to mass injection sites or have reliable transportation to travel to distant pharmacies for an injection. Community resources fill this void by making vaccines available to patients. In fact, as part of the U.S. rescue plan, the U.S. Department of Health has allocated $ 1 billion to aid vaccine education and distribution, and to expand Covid-19 testing in rural communities through partnerships with local communities and health organizations. A care manager can easily determine what resources are readily available for a particular member, plan transportation to a vaccination site or visit to the member's home, and ensure that the member is vaccinated.

Behavioral Health Professionals: Connecting Care for the Mind and Body
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38% of adults in the United States had symptoms of anxiety from depression between April 2020 and February 2021, while only 11% of adults reported symptoms between January and June 2019. There is a clear need for high quality and affordable behavioral health support that will continue beyond the pandemic as the nation recovers.

Since the pandemic began, we've seen an increase in virtual mobile apps and mental health resources that help patients access mental health care from the comfort of their homes. While these online therapy tools help meet a vital need, it is important that these solutions communicate with the rest of the healthcare system so that GPs and care managers can have a 360-degree view of a patient's health. Care management technology can bring these silos together so that patients receive the proactive clinical and behavioral health support they need.

The responsibility of a health technology innovator to support care teams
As industry leaders envision the future of healthcare, we see a critical role for care managers, community resources and mental health professionals. Since 2019, we've seen a 34% increase in the frequency of interdisciplinary care team meetings between care providers and care managers with multiple specialties, and we expect this trend to continue. Each of these healthcare actors play a critical role in delivering a fairer and more proactive care experience for patients, especially our most vulnerable communities. As technology innovators, we must continue to deliver technology solutions that bring these health heroes a seamless experience.

Photo: alphaspirit, Getty Images

https://dailytechnonewsllc.com/how-covid-19-extended-the-care-team/