The healthcare industry is evolving at an unprecedented rate to keep pace with changing customer needs, government mandates, and an onslaught of competition from emerging disrupters like Amazon and Walmart. Health plans and their provider networks are realizing that working together to create better, more consistent care access experiences is no longer a lofty goal for the future—and that collaboration needs to start now.
WEBINAR REPLAY: How Your IDN Can Create Better Access with Consistent Provider Search and Scheduling Experiences
Integrated delivery networks (IDNs)—or systems that both provide and finance care—have already bridged provider and payer channels to improve quality of care and patient outcomes while reducing costs. But when it comes to how people search, select, and schedule care, IDNs are as likely as non-integrated systems to struggle with fragmented, frustrating care navigation experiences between their divisions.
When the directories don’t sync—or worse, if they conflict—your organization is at risk of confusing or frustrating people, which can lead to them inadvertently seeking care from out-of-network providers. And that defeats the IDN’s objective of holistically managing patient care and costs.
The good news? If you’re part of an IDN, you’ve got an advantage because your provider and payer channels are under one roof, which can make it faster and easier to collaborate on bringing greater consistency to your provider directories and scheduling solutions. Here are some tips to help you start thinking about how you can create a better, more consistent experience for the people your brand serves:
Be Consistent
When people encounter inaccurate or inconsistent data, or if scheduling isn’t easy, their trust in your organization plummets and it is difficult—maybe even impossible—to restore. Sharing accurate ‘source of truth’ information about network providers, services, and locations across your directories creates a consistent experience for people regardless of where they access your organization—and that fosters trust in your brand. Consistency in user experience and data is complimented by consistency in language, branding, and more that establish you as the organization people know to go to for care.
Be a Family
Ever feel like you’re the referee in a sibling rivalry during organization-wide planning meetings? The health system and health plan divisions within your organization are a lot like siblings—there’s usually some friction and it isn’t always easy to get along, but ultimately, they come together for the good of the family.
Consider appointing dedicated teams from each channel to the task of ensuring a consistent and elegant user experience and encourage them to get to know each other and to work together openly on solutions that benefit the organization as a whole, as well as those you serve. This is where it may be especially helpful to work with a technology partner who can be a neutral guiding force to align all parties and ensure common goals are established and met.
Be Creative
Provider directories are just one area where your health plan and health system colleagues can collaborate to benefit members and the organization. Once you’ve established greater collaboration across teams and consistency in provider data and scheduling options, you can consider other ways to leverage these assets. It may be as simple as adding links to intervention or wellness program communications that enable members to self-schedule care from appropriate in-network providers with a click.
All Together Now
Remember, collaboration is the fuel that powers the seamless access experiences people want and expect from an IDN. And ultimately, positive experiences are what will differentiate your brand, drive demand for your providers, and keep people in-network for care. Watch the webinar replay, How Your IDN Can Create Better Access with Consistent Provider Search and Scheduling Experiences to learn why now is the time for your organization to come together and how our team can help you collaborate like never before.
