We’re on track to experience a deficit of more than 100,000 physicians by 2033. Given this dramatic provider shortage, it’s easier than ever to see the value of care coordinators. They help providers – primary care teams in this case – balance heavy workloads by handling a bulk of behind-the-scenes work (charting, internal comms, etc.).
We’ve previously highlighted how technology-powered pharmacists relieve physician workloads. The same logic holds here with our care coordinators. Read on to see how our digital infrastructure works as well as three ways care coordinators use it to help primary care teams deliver more personalized care.
1. Support medication management strategy by analyzing patient data
Because our care coordinators have specialized training in healthcare – many of RxLive’s are LPNs or RNs – they’re familiar with the complex world of patient data. And when you pair industry-leading data analytics (the digital infrastructure) with a capable pool of primary care coordinators, you can more effectively target care to empaneled populations.
One key reason for this: RxLive’s platform makes it easier to empanel your patient population. Proprietary algorithms segment patients that require clinical intervention (from a pharmacist and provider) and patients that require non-clinical care (from other healthcare professionals and care coordinators). Then, clinicians can use this information to identify the patients most likely to benefit from interventions focused on medication-related care.
Here are two common processes where care coordinators can facilitate effective medication management by properly reviewing this patient data:
- Medication reconciliation. Though this task often falls to pharmacists, care coordinators can cross-reference patients’ records to ensure they accurately reflect current medications and supplements.
- Medication adherence support. This, too, is a process where pharmacists’ expertise shines through. But coordinators can also sort patient profiles by diagnostic determinants, including unfilled prescriptions, and flag any profiles for follow-up phone calls or consults.
Such primary care support lets pharmacists work at the top of their license, which allows physicians to do the same. The takeaway: when you give dedicated care coordinators a platform that aggregates and runs analytics on patient data, your clinicians save time and your patients benefit.
2. Improve patient education post-discharge with streamlined communication channels
Care coordinators don’t just help primary care physicians on the “back end.” They can also help relieve staff workloads by taking an active role in disseminating messages to empaneled populations.
This may involve the occasional appointment reminder, but communication can also educate the patients on their care regimens. For instance, care coordinators might deliver messages that…
- Clarify prescription protocols.
- Offer resources to address non-adherence risk.
- Prompt follow-up appointments in the case of non-adherence.
Streamlined communication channels also help improve patient education by giving physicians the information they need to further educate the patient. A majority of the post-consult documentation that care coordinators do is related to billing. But primary care coordinators also share notes on the consult. These consultation recaps are immensely helpful for physicians or pharmacists because they…
- Get every member of a care team on the same page by ensuring they can all view the patient information AND
- Distill the information from calls and consultations in an easy-to-read format.
These notes may, for instance, inspire a pharmacist to offer a detailed how-to guide for applying for patient assistance programs. Primary care coordinators may also use these notes to flag when a patient needs more clinical follow-up, which a physician or pharmacist could then take on, pending the exact need.
3. Maximize the impact of provider-patient engagement
The most immediate benefit care coordinators offer to primary care physicians? Time savings. Dig a layer deeper, and you see how saving time directly fuels the impactability of care.
RxLive’s coordinators tackle tasks that are often regimented and non-clinical in nature (charting, appointment outreach, etc.). This is work that would otherwise fall on more specialized members of a primary care team. And with the provider shortage, the time physicians have to spend on charting and non-intervention work is rapidly slipping away (if it hasn’t already disappeared).
This is why using a platform that makes it easy to delegate work – while improving the quality of care – is crucial for the delivery of quality care.
To illustrate this further, here’s how the RxLive platform and fractional network of pharmacists and care coordinators can boost impactability:
- Our fractional network of care coordinators takes pre-consult work off pharmacists’ plates.
- Our pharmacists take work off physicians’ plates – often by handling patient consults.
- The one-on-one time in consults deepens the pool of patient information.
- Care coordinators and / or pharmacists file this information and use it to enhance care protocols for patients.
- Health outcomes improve steadily across the board.
- Patient satisfaction increases.
- HEDIS scores improve.
Treating the right patient at the right time is easier said than done. But by bringing on the right healthcare professionals (primary care coordinators and pharmacists) and tools, you can build a foundation of impactability.
The right technology platform helps enhance patient health
Not all care coordination platforms are created the same. For that matter, not all care coordination efforts have the same positive impact. But a comprehensive value-based pharmacy system helps your care coordinators flag adherence issues like unfilled prescriptions, efficiently send follow-up messages to patients, and initiate warm transfers as needed.Interested in learning more about how a comprehensive value-based pharmacy system can help you deliver the best care possible? Reach out. We’re to offer you as much guidance as we can.
