Spectrum Health

Amanda Reed

Like other progressive health systems across the country, Spectrum Health is concentrated on transforming care and providing consumers with a customized experience. Two initiatives underway that underscore this focus are expanded offerings for virtual care and digital health through Spectrum Health’s telehealth program, MedNow, and advancing digital innovations.

By integrating video visits into Spectrum Health Medical Group’s medical care practices, we are expanding the way we look after patients who are chronically ill. Our direct-to-consumer telehealth program, which includes an app for virtual visits for patients with low-acuity conditions, is additionally that specializes in chronic disease management. In building upon the inspiration of MedNow, we are providing patients with chronic conditions direct and convenient access to their providers. In turn, providers are now ready to follow up and manage to look after their patients for chronic diseases, all while the patient remains reception.

Six in ten adults within the U.S. have a chronic disease. Four in ten adults have two or more of them. Chronic diseases like a heart condition, cancer, and diabetes are the leading causes of death and disability within the U.S. they're also the leading drivers of the nation’s $3.3 trillion in annual health care costs, consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With this heightened awareness of chronic diseases, the necessity for ongoing medical attention to manage them is bigger than ever. That’s why Spectrum Health has turned to telehealth as an intervention to effectively provide cost-effective education and care, while increasing patient engagement, provider efficiencies, and patient outcomes.

Spectrum Health designed its program to satisfy the requirements of chronic care patients by that specialize in three main principles to guide development: seamless technology, high personal touch, and an integrated approach. This model has led to early success. quite 1,000 patients with chronic conditions have participated during a video visit with one among 32 providers within the first year alone. So far, we've seen the best successes with patients who are being seen for medication checks, anxiety, depression, menopause or chronic pain.

Effortless technology has been the catalyst for adoption and usage among both patients and providers. Providers want tools that help them become more efficient in their daily practice. 

There’s an incredible opportunity for mobile health to supply increased support and connections for patients between doctor appointments, also on helping them improve their health-related behaviors and health outcomes overall

Single sign-on with My Chart applications, video quality, and customized provider portals has allowed us to optimize the technology. Patients want to understand that secure, quality care is being delivered, yet they don’t want to desire they have to be technology experts themselves.

High personal touch could seem counterintuitive during a highly digital world. Yet, it's a critical component in personalizing the patient’s experience. Using telehealth as a conduit to quickly access a true person has led to greater patient adoption. With medical assistants playing a big role in scheduling and starting a video visit, patients find it easier to attach and troubleshoot, if necessary, and providers find it easier to include these visits into their daily practice.

An integrated approach at the practice level was also a crucial part of creating a scalable model. instead of launching with individual providers, we integrated the technology into the practice with everyone from registration staff to billing/coding representatives also because of the providers themselves.

Patient feedback has already demonstrated the worth we are providing. For instance, an elderly couple who require visits every three months were ready to have a video visit during the winter to avoid driving on icy roads or canceling appointments altogether. A teamster pulled over for a roadside video visit, allowing him to suit his appointment into his challenging work schedule. a university student participated during a video visit for a medicine check while understanding at the gym.

Not only are we transforming the care model, but we are helping people prioritize their health and live their lives on their own terms. Over the subsequent year, we are getting to expand this model throughout the whole Spectrum Health Medical Group, understanding that enhanced digital tools and services help us meet the patient where they're and put a greater emphasis on wellness and prevention.

Running parallel, Spectrum Health’s Lifestyle Medicine program recently implemented a formulary of Spectrum Health preferred mobile health apps into the electronic health record (EHR) via IQVIA’s AppScript platform. By embedding AppScript into the EHR, clinicians can prescribe evidence-based digital therapeutics and mobile health apps within a couple of clicks.

Our vision is that medical care providers who are helping patients manage chronic diseases virtually will leverage AppScript to prescribe apps, wearables, and devices to support disease management. Mobile health solutions are often a strong modality to empower patients to raised monitor and manage their chronic disease and control the related behaviors that drive the progression of the disease.

Imagine a medical care provider prescribing an app, glucometer, wireless scale and a health tracker to a patient who has just been diagnosed with diabetes or who is struggling to manage it. There’s an incredible opportunity for mobile health to supply increased support and connections for patients between doctor appointments, also to help them improve their health-related behaviors and health outcomes overall.

With a vision to bring less expensive, consumer-friendly tools to patients in our communities, Spectrum Health strives to seek out and encourage more ways to partner with consumers on their health journey. As we nurture these programs over the approaching year, improving patient outcomes and reworking healthcare delivery will remain our priorities.