ATLANTA – Earlier this year at Medtrade, Brightree’s Sarah Gray, director of Customer Success – Resupply, spoke about how to increase patient engagement with a best-in-class resupply program. Gray reminded attendees that patients are at the center of any Resupply program, and it’s critical to reach patients where they are to get them as engaged as possible in their resupply.
“Utilizing technology and automation isn’t about replacing anyone,” says Gray. “It’s simply about redirecting staff to be able to focus on their patients while the automation does the resupply for you.”
Medtrade Monday sat down with Gray to learn more about omni-channel outreach and the importance of automated workflows that don’t neglect the human aspects of customer service.
Medtrade Monday: What’s an example of how a resupply program increased patient engagement and improved the business?
Sarah Gray: One challenge that one of our customers faced was the amount of manual touching on the back end—hand keying all the orders. There was no automation or integration and as the company grew, keeping up with incoming orders became difficult. All the manual work increased the turnaround time from order placement to leaving the facility, compared to orders being uploaded correctly into the system.
Once their resupply was implemented, our customer’s agents realized how it would make their lives easier and they would have time to work on other things. They began to understand how their jobs would improve with the adoption of the new solution. Also, items per order went up, meaning staff could fulfill orders more efficiently. The turnaround on processing went down.
Patients consistently used and appreciated the self-service options. That’s why it’s important to show the value of new solutions. It’s not about changing people or teams. It’s about changing the way we look at our work.
Medtrade Monday: Why is patient outreach/engagement so important?
Gray: The patient is at the center of any Resupply program, and it’s critical to reach patients where they are to get them as engaged as possible in their resupply. Having an omni-channel outreach approach (digital and traditional methods of communication) allows providers to deliver a seamless and personalized experience. This gives patients options and opportunities to interact and be consistent in their resupply journey across all touchpoints.
Medtrade Monday: What specifically do you mean by “patient engagement”?
Gray: Patient engagement is how patients are actively participating in their resupply. When patients have access to information, are consistently communicated with, and overall more involved in decision making, we see greater engagement between patients and their providers. This in turn will usually increase adherence to their treatment plan, allow better management of chronic conditions. Early intervention can contribute to improved health outcomes.
Medtrade Monday: What is the biggest misconception about running a resupply program and boosting patient engagement?
Gray: One of the biggest misconceptions about resupply is that using technology and automation will reduce staff, and that couldn’t be further from the truth. We’re aware just how much time, effort, and impact manual resupply processes can have on providers, especially as they’re trying to do more with less. But manual processes can lead to order delays, information not being processed accurately, and staff spending more time on the orders instead of the patients themselves. Utilizing technology and automation isn’t about replacing anyone; it’s simply about redirecting staff to be able to focus on their patients while the automation does the resupply for you.
Medtrade Monday: What should providers do to prepare for a resupply program?
Gray: Analyze your patient demographics. Determine the most effective communication channels to reach them, such as SMS, email, social media, website, mobile apps, or direct mail. Ensure a consistent and seamless experience across all channels, allowing patients to interact with their organization through their preferred method and ensuring a unified message. Think about how to design and execute integrated campaigns that utilize multiple channels – maybe an email campaign that is supported by social media posts or direct mail. Maximize your reach and impact.
Medtrade Monday: What were you hearing at Medtrade regarding resupply programs?
Gray: We had several great questions come in at Medtrade. Providers shared that they felt limited in not being able to capture their full resupply potential. Either not having enough staff or losing adherence due to lack of patient engagement, a lot of the conversation was about doing more with less. That’s where we discussed automated workflows and omni-channel opportunities to be able to engage more consistently with patients. It was a great conversation.
