Increasing numbers of hospitals and health systems are using hybrid care to increase efficiency, address social determinants of health and improve patient outcomes.
This was a major theme in a discussion at Becker's 14th Annual Meeting, led by Cynthia Horner, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Amwell, and Brian Zimmerman, Associate Vice President, Client Content + Strategy, Becker's Healthcare. They also discussed implementation considerations for hybrid care models.
Four key takeaways were:
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Hybrid care combines in-person, virtual and automated care to achieve better outcomes and greater efficiency. "Hybrid care may look different for inpatient care than for outpatient care," Dr. Horner said. "Hybrid care is bringing disparate ways of providing care together for better outcomes, better efficiency and better ROI."
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Hybrid care can address workforce challenges and improve the experience for clinicians. Amwell's clients are using hybrid care programs to handle patient admissions, discharges and rounding. "Virtual nursing is one example that has a significant impact on the workforce experience," Dr. Horner said. Satisfaction with hybrid care among employees and patients is high.
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Hybrid care can address social determinants of health and improve access to care. "Access can be defined differently, whether it's remote patient populations or patients with social determinants of health issues," Dr. Horner said. Virtual nurses are an effective solution for gathering information about social determinants of health. It's important, however, to avoid asking questions, if the organization isn't in a position to provide assistance.
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Hybrid care solutions should be tailored to specific needs and engage end users. It's critical to clearly define the problem that will be solved through hybrid care. Organizations that cast the net too broadly often end up with watered-down solutions that don't meet any specific needs.
It's also critical to identify key ambassadors or advocates within the executive team and among end users. End user advocates need to be respected by their colleagues and have the ears of their peers. "Start with what is the primary issue and engage your teams that are going to be the end users," Dr. Horner said.
Given today's healthcare staffing shortages and escalating costs, hospitals and health systems are in a difficult place. Organizations need smart solutions that support high-quality care and meet patient needs — and hybrid care is one approach that meets those requirements.