If there is one thing living through the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us, it is that human connection enables us all to live better, healthier lives. Though more evident than before, that sentiment has always been true in all areas of life, including healthcare. An effective healthcare system that follows the value-based care delivery model is built upon strong relationships.
Most people who are called to work in healthcare have a desire to make an impact on the lives of others. However, according to Vytalize Co-founder and CMO Dr. Amer Alnajar, the current system only allows for transactional relationships, where a patient is no longer a person but an item that needs to be checked off to guarantee a practice’s survival, to no fault of the physician. When quality of care is replaced by volume of services, it is extremely difficult to build the personal patient-provider relationship needed to truly have an impact on the health and overall wellbeing of the patient.
At Vytalize, we recognize that while fee-for-service has essentially taken away the ability to effectively care for patients, the physician’s desire to provide the quality of care required for better health outcomes is still present, making the transition to value-based care the only way forward.
How does Vytalize empower practices to prioritize the patient-provider relationship?
We help foster meaningful and long-lasting relationships by taking on some of the responsibilities of primary care practices that take them away from doing the work they were meant to do. At this moment, primary care is extremely reactive and sufficient data that promotes proactivity is typically unavailable.
By equipping practices with better data and insights from clinical notes, claims, social determinants of health data, and hospital feeds, as well as providing compensation that includes monthly shared savings for providing evidence-based medicine, Vytalize creates room that allows for increased time and attention with patients who need it, when they need it.
What does a better patient-provider relationship mean for patient outcomes?
A great patient-provider relationship is built on trust, which takes time. Providers need to know their patients well and vice versa; family members and caretakers also need to build the same trust and rapport. Ultimately, strong relationships can mean the difference between an unnecessary emergency room visit and subsequent hospitalization or a much simpler visit to a primary care office.
By working with Vytalize, partner practices have seen a 41% reduction in ER visits and 38% reduction in admission rates because their patients are confident in their ability to provide the excellent care needed for better outcomes. Patients also see their Vytalize partner provider 78% more often than the average Medicare beneficiary.
The human element in healthcare can never be replaced. Connection is needed to drive positive patient outcomes. Providers, consider scheduling your patients for the prevention-focused Annual Wellness Visit. Benefits include stronger patient-provider relationships. Learn more about Annual Wellness Visits here!
