A digital platform for value-based care management

It is becoming clear that the traditional approaches to care management, including efforts to close gaps in care, are not sufficient to deliver value-based healthcare. Efforts are fragmented and driven by what healthcare organizations have established as appropriate, and not based on what a patient needs and when they need it. IDC research has shown a need for continuous care driven by intelligence and insight that reduces the friction between payers and providers and delivers value that consumers and physicians are seeking. New digital platforms for value-based care management can provide the insights to guide stakeholders to the most appropriate action, the workflow and devices to manage care across the continuum of care settings and acuity, and the digital communication tools to support patients on their healthcare journey. The adoption of value-based healthcare, the pressure to manage cost and improve quality as well as the availability of technology holds promise to ease the burden for all stakeholders.

Care management has historically been focused on a sub-set of patients with chronic conditions, with efforts including identifying patients in need of routine preventive screenings and providing generalized care plans to help patients manage their condition.  With the increased availability and adoption of technology, particularly remote devices and sensors in combination with mobile devices, it is possible to extend care management across a broader population that represents the full spectrum of acuity — from prevention to care of unstable and frail patients. Whether driven by cost management or quality improvements, healthcare organizations must broaden their care management strategies to increase the use of technology to manage patients, regardless of acuity, where and when they need care — a true patient centered approach to care.

• The isolation between office visits often results in poor medication adherence, which was reported to cost the health industry $100-$289 billion a year¹.
• Further, the lack of continuity leads to non-adherence to chronic disease care plans. Not only does the health of patients suffer but the direct cost of non-adherence to care plans comes at an annual cost of $100 billion per year.²
• Missed appointments cost the National Health Service in the UK £1 billion in 2017³; a simple reminder of an upcoming appointment could reduce that expense.