CDPHP, a health insurer in New York, opened a branch inside Ellis Medicine in Schenectady, N.Y., to connect patients directly with insurance staff if they have questions during treatment and post-discharge, according to the Albany Business Review.
The idea came to CDPHP's CEO, John Bennett, MD, after a recent hospitalization revealed some of the difficulties patients face when navigating the healthcare system. CDPHP opened its office July 16, which is staffed with representatives tasked with answering questions about what insurance will pay for at Ellis Medicine, among other discussions.
Ellis Medicine CEO Paul Milton told the Albany Business Review he expects to see improved patient satisfaction and readmission rates among CDPHP members because of the partnership. In addition, since Ellis Medicine houses CDPHP's first hospital office, CDPHP members may seek out the hospital for care.
"When you provide a better customer experience, you're going to grow," Dr. Bennett said about CDPHP's business model. "When people see that CDPHP is giving them this wonderful experience, frankly I want the patients in the next bed to get jealous of what my members are getting."
Read the full article here.