Embracing technology solutions has given Higher Standards Home Health a competitive edge against its peers, particularly in terms of referrals. The agency has implemented a mobile communication platform to enhance its clinical environment, resulting in improved patient outcomes and increased referral volume. With the platform, case managers and social workers can easily monitor a patient’s progress from the initial call to ongoing visits, ensuring prompt response and better coordination among staff. The CEO of Higher Standards Home Health attributes the agency’s success to its ability to quickly respond and pivot to the patient’s needs, which has resulted in reduced hospitalizations. The agency’s communication channel revamp has contributed to an increase in patient census, as impressed patients and physicians refer others to the agency.
Technology’s Role in Improving Higher Standards Home Health’s Outcomes and Referral Volume
Higher Standards Home Health, a home health agency based in Dallas, Texas, is utilizing technology to address challenges and improve patient outcomes. The company provides various therapies such as nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in the home setting. The agency has implemented a mobile communication platform to enhance its clinical environment and simplify staff communication.
Before utilizing the platform, the agency’s CEO and co-founder, Marcus Orlowski, described their communication channels as “fragmented.” The company had been relying on text messaging and an internal email system called K-mail, which was only available to staff. This made it challenging to collaborate with physicians, family members, and patients, causing a lag in response time. Additionally, text messaging is not HIPAA compliant.
In 2021, Higher Standards Home Health implemented a HIPAA-compliant communication solution platform called Buzz. Every patient has their own channel, where the patient’s family members, physician, administrative staff, and clinicians involved in the patient’s care can communicate and collaborate. The platform allows the upload of documents and sharing of specifics about the patient, which contributes to the improvement of patient outcomes.
“Our ability to quickly respond and pivot to the patient’s needs is one of the things that improves their outcome, but also a big factor is the reduction in hospitalizations,” Orlowski said.
The use of technology to enhance communication channels has also contributed to an increase in patient census. Higher Standards Home Health’s ability to quickly respond and collaborate has impressed patients and physicians alike, leading to an increase in referrals.
As technology solutions continue to emerge in home healthcare, providers are increasingly implementing them to address challenges. By adopting solutions such as the Buzz communication platform, Higher Standards Home Health has improved its clinical environment, resulting in better patient outcomes and an increase in patient census.
Technology Improves Referral Volume and Patient Outcomes in Higher Standards Home Health
Embracing a technology platform to improve communication has given Higher Standards Home Health a competitive edge against its peers. The use of a mobile communication platform has enhanced the clinical environment, resulting in better patient outcomes and increased referral volume.
By utilizing the platform, case managers and social workers can easily monitor a patient’s progress from the initial call to ongoing visits, resulting in prompt response and better coordination among staff. The agency’s CEO, Marcus Orlowski, believes this has led to an increase in referrals and a subsequently higher patient census.
“Everything is happening promptly, and it’s basically all hands on deck,” he said. “I think [case managers and social workers] really appreciate that.”
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