How a large New York medical group uses technology to give patients what they want: More control

Scott Hayworth, MD, is president and CEO of CareMount Medical, a large independent multispecialty medical group with 45 offices in New York.

Here, Dr. Hayworth discusses the patient-facing innovation in his system.

Question: What is the most interesting patient-facing innovation you are working on today?

Dr. Scott Hayworth: We have several patient-facing innovative technologies available to our patients anywhere, anytime, online. CareMount 24/7 is a state-of-the-art platform powered by four key technologies offering patients on-demand access to their healthcare, when and where they choose. CareMount 24/7 includes: online self-scheduling, virtual visits, patient portal, and pre check-in. All create greater access for our patients to manage their healthcare with the clickable convenience desired by consumers.

Q: Could you explain the online scheduling and virtual visits a bit further?

SH: Our online appointment platform enables real-time, self-scheduling by connecting into a doctor’s calendar from the CareMount Medical website. Access to the system is available 24/7 from the convenience of home or on a mobile device without having to call to make an appointment. Over 10,000 appointment bookings are made per month via CareMount's online scheduling platform, and close to 20 specialties are available for online scheduling.

Pre check-in is available after a patient receives an email link from their provider confirming their appointment. Patients can fill it out from a remote location at their convenience or with the check-in tablets in our waiting rooms. The secure information is immediately available for the physician to review so that the patient can make the most of their visit and have a more meaningful conversation with their doctor.

Virtual visits provide access to quick, convenient healthcare when and where a patient chooses. Patients with non-emergency symptoms such as fever, cough, rash, pink eye, sore throats, can access on-demand, high-quality care 24/7 using this service via desktop or mobile app. Patients can connect with a physician in real time to receive a diagnosis, treatment plan, and prescription, as needed. CareMount Medical patients will have a copy of their visit included in their medical record.

Q: How is the trend toward consumerism in healthcare and patient expectations driving innovation at CareMount? What capabilities allow patients more control over their experience?

SH: The CareMount Patient Portal allows patients to access their medical records, anywhere, anytime and from any device. Within the portal, patients can request, change, or cancel an appointment, communicate securely with their provider, request prescription renewals, download test results, and more.

Additionally, CareMount recently invested in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool to create a robust patient communication experience to enhance the patient-to-practice relationship. The Patient Profile allows CareMount to create visibility and transparency for specific patient needs, such as gaps in care or clinical follow-up. Patient needs are then communicated to take action in an electronic and mobile-friendly manner. The evolution and use of CRM in the provider delivery space — for the sole purpose of managing a patient — is new to the healthcare space and will revolutionize the effectiveness of value-based care.

Q: What will be the most important patient experience innovation 18 months from now? How are you pivoting in that direction?

SH: Connecting patients at the places in which they want to be engaged, providing access to information that has not generally been available and creating transparency and consistency has allowed CareMount Medical to be a leader in the healthcare industry and information technology. Telemedicine will continue to expand as the need for clickable convenience increases among consumers.

The addition of artificial intelligence capabilities and chatbots on CareMount's website is planned for the future. This will further enable CareMount to give patients the best information possible for the care that they need when they need it.

Join us for the Becker's Hospital Review 3rd Annual Health IT + Clinical Leadership + Pharmacy Conference, May 19-21, 2020 in Chicago. Topics include artificial intelligence, telehealth, data analytics, clinician burnout, population health, pharmaceutical care and more. Learn more and register here. For more information about exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, contact Maggie Dunne at events@beckershealthcare.com.

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