Why you should outsource chronic disease management

One of the biggest challenges to implementing a successful chronic disease management program is investing the significant resources required to support a robust program, particularly for health systems and clinical networks. Chronically ill patients require person-centered care coordination that extends beyond the clinic, and many of these interactions don’t happen in person. Instead, they’re phone calls to patients, correspondences with hospitals and nursing homes, conversations with pharmacies, food banks, and even transportation providers.

When successfully implemented, chronic disease management programs help patients become active participants in their own care, enabling them to take control of their health. However, many factors prevent providers from establishing these services themselves. For example, it can be challenging to determine if there are enough eligible patients to make a program like this worthwhile. It can also be difficult to determine if there’s enough time and resources available to hire staff to facilitate the program amidst an ongoing labor shortage.

Whatever the reason, outsourcing chronic disease management services to a specialized vendor, such as Engooden, comes with many advantages.

Reduced Risk
Health systems are often hesitant to invest in chronic disease management services because of uncertainty over patient eligibility. Not only must patients qualify for these services, but they also need to be willing to enroll and actively participate. Coupled with the fact that delivering adequate care to chronically ill patients is resource-intensive, it’s not surprising that providers are reluctant or unable to invest in the necessary staff and technology.

Partnering with Engooden allows providers to build a sustainable chronic disease management program that offers new services to more patients without the need to take on any additional risk. Engooden’s care navigators not only coordinate care for chronically ill patients, but our technology continuously analyzes EHR records and uncovers at least 20% more chronic conditions than any other solution. This leads to identifying and helping more eligible patients, which in turn saves money and resources, and, when coupled with care navigation, improves care for those who need it most.

Better Patient Education
Patient health literacy resides at the core of any successful chronic disease management services program. When patients are more informed about their illnesses and know how to self-manage their conditions and better identify symptoms on their own, they can better maintain their health and avoid entering high-acuity settings.

Engooden uses monthly phone calls with patients to reinforce provider recommendations and educate patients about their health. Regularly sharing health information helps patients follow best practices for their health and makes them feel like active participants in their care.

Achieving Equitable Care
No chronic disease management program can succeed without breaking down barriers that prevent equitable healthcare access. Many physicians don’t know what a patient is going through once they leave an appointment. Patients encounter issues such as not being able to afford their prescriptions, lack of transportation to pick up groceries, or not understanding their care plan. Providers may never uncover these issues because of the limited time they spend with the patient during an appointment - and in some cases because of patient reluctance to share this kind of personal, non-clinical information.

Engooden’s care navigators help connect the dots by spending as much time as necessary to help patients address social determinants of health impacting their wellbeing. We document patient progress and struggles and connect them with the appropriate resources at precisely the right time.

Scaling CDM with Engooden Health
There are more patients with chronic diseases than ever before, and there are fewer physicians and health professionals available to care for them. Health systems establishing chronic disease management services will be best positioned to address population health needs down the line. When you partner with Engooden, our expert personnel and technology will help enhance your population health initiatives by reaching more patients between office visits. We can drive better health outcomes together.

With our compassionate, highly-skilled care navigators, we’re establishing a new standard of care for patients living with chronic conditions. Ready to build your chronic disease management program? Click here to learn more about Engooden and how we can support your practice.

Curious how our customers are benefiting from outsourcing chronic disease management to Engooden? Check out our webinar: Doubling Down on CCM: Why Now is the Time to Invest in Chronic Disease Management.