Sixty-two percent of people feel as though today’s healthcare system is intentionally confusing, according to Harvard Business Review—and we can’t blame them.
Combine that with overwhelmed call centers, growing provider shortages, and shifting consumer expectations, and health systems are being forced to rethink how they effectively engage and triage patients to guide them to the right venue of care, the first time.
“Coming out of the pandemic, consumers expect their health systems to have more convenient and virtual care options available, but it’s hard to understand when to use which option and how to start,” said Robert DiFalco, Chief Technology Officer at Bright.md. “The moment when someone starts to feel sick and begins to look for care is absolutely make-or-break for health systems in building long-term patient relationships.”
The current process is particularly frustrating for patients, DiFalco continued, while health systems face mounting inefficiencies and additional costs with patients resorting to urgent care or ER visits when they don’t necessarily need in-person care. In fact, new research shows unnecessary ER visits cost health systems at least $47 billion a year, and those visits are largely caused by low health system literacy.
Not to mention, patient confusion and a desire for ease-of-use is driving health systems to lose both patients and revenue. According to a recent survey commissioned by Bright.md of more than 1,100 U.S. consumers, 48 percent of folks have accessed care through direct-to-consumer apps or clinics since 2020. Combine that with 58 percent of survey respondents who said they likely plan to get healthcare online or through an app in the future—versus a virtual or in-person visit in their health system—and it’s clear health systems need to develop a strong digital strategy to stay competitive in the years ahead.
So what’s the solution?
Navigate by Bright.md: A top-tier digital front door solution
At Bright.md, the patient is at the center of every solution we develop, including our newest product, Navigate. Navigate helps health systems attract and retain patients, achieve positive patient outcomes, and reduce costs by guiding patients to the right venue of care.
Navigate is an easy-to-use digital solution that asks patients to answer a few questions about their symptoms and then offers care options based on their needs. Navigate links the patient directly to the appropriate next step configured by the health system, whether that be an on-demand asynchronous appointment, a scheduling tool, or the nearest urgent care clinic.
By implementing a triage solution like Navigate by Bright.md, health systems can compete directly with direct-to-consumer offerings by meeting patients where they are. Designed to have a seamless, on-demand experience, Navigate makes finding care as easy as possible for patients. In fact, those who use Navigate to find care for low-acuity conditions like ear infections, colds, or rashes can immediately begin an asynchronous interview through Bright.md with a wait-time of just six minutes on average to get a diagnosis and care plan from a trusted provider.
Navigate by Bright.md’s features include:
100+ conditions: When patients type in their complaint, they can choose from more than 100 conditions, ranging from symptoms that can be treated asynchronously to those that require in-person care
Support for emergency care: Emergent conditions are identified, immediately alerting a patient to call 911
Modern visual design: With customizable brand accents, Navigate will match your website and portal experience for a seamless and on-brand experience for patients
Fully configurable care options: Optimize care pathways for cost savings and operational efficiencies, while streamlining patient experience
Why leading health systems choose Bright.md
Navigate is the latest product from Bright.md, which was recognized as the Best Overall Telehealth Solution in the 2021 MedTech Breakthrough Awards. Leading health systems like UnityPoint Health, Baptist Health, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, and Prisma Health all trust Bright.md as their asynchronous telehealth solution to make treatment for the common conditions that make up more than half of urgent and primary care visits seamless, convenient, effective, and enjoyable for both patients and providers.
“Why Bright.md? It comes down to our [providers] asking questions around whether or not the solution was created by clinicians, and if it’s been clinically validated by clinicians,” said Matthew Warrens, Managing Director at UnityPoint Health, speaking to Bright.md’s differentiated clinical interviews. “And both of those things are at the root of Bright.md. This isn’t Google . . .[Bright.md] is a trusted source, managed by providers, and that’s an important aspect.”
Drive loyalty and patient outcomes with Navigate by Bright.md
“Organizations that treat their patients as consumers who have many choices for care will see greater loyalty and deliver better outcomes,” added DiFalco. “With provider shortages, overwhelm in call centers, and capacity constraints only growing within care delivery organizations across the country, Navigate by Bright.md has never been more critical to help more patients access the care they need as quickly as possible.”
Navigate by Bright.md is ready to help you modernize the digital healthcare experience for patients while directing them to the right venue of care, the first time around. Curious to learn more about Navigate and see how it could work for your organization? Contact us today to chat with one of our virtual care consultants, and see why Navigate is the ideal solution for your digital strategy.