Healthcare providers across the country are facing mounting pressure to provide quality care and reduce costs, especially when it comes to managing chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes. In recent years, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) have increasingly proven to be a model for efficient and effective care delivery.
Their success stems from a patient-first approach that combines comprehensive medical services with a focus on preventive care and reaching underserved populations. By doing so, FQHCs have not only demonstrated the capacity to enhance patient outcomes and satisfaction but have also shown the potential for cost-effective healthcare that resonates as a beacon of hope for healthcare providers nationwide.
Here are three lessons that medical groups and practices can glean from FQHCs to enhance their overall performance.
Key Lessons for Medical Groups to Improve Operations
1. Don’t be afraid of new technology.
“FQHCs have proven adept at embracing new technology to improve outcomes for their patients, particularly virtual care services. However, change can be scary, and top leadership at healthcare organizations may be averse to new tools and platforms they’re not familiar with. And some trepidation is warranted: Transforming your operations can be a massive undertaking when it comes to time and resources.
That said, it doesn’t have to be — especially with the right healthcare partner. Leading FQHCs know that introducing new tech should not interrupt operations: only enhance it. What matters is picking the right services provider, one that has the track record and infrastructure to ensure a smooth integration. On that note…
2. Expand your reach beyond the office.
Once a patient leaves a provider’s office, there are a wealth of opportunities to affect patient outcomes for the better — and leading FQHCs take advantage. Partnering with the right healthcare partner for Virtual Care Management opens doors to Chronic Care Management (CCM) services and other tools to limit the likelihood of hospitalizations, increase patient satisfaction, and improve health outcomes. This is especially important for FQHCs, who serve rural and underserved communities where access to care is limited.
A robust Chronic Care Management platform allows for a broad coordination of care that facilitates information sharing, encourages transparency, and ultimately benefits patients and providers. With more than two-thirds of the 65+ population dealing with two or more chronic conditions, Virtual Care Management is a necessity — and one that’s within reach for organizations, regardless of their size or resources.
3. Automate. Automate. Automate.
One of the biggest advantages of VCM is the power of automation. We could all use a little more time, and VCM provides just that. FQHCs leverage this functionality to its fullest to:
- Reduce time spent on chronic care billing
- Streamline care planning
- Maintain Medicare program compliance
- Easily document time
- Increase care staff efficiency
The end result: more time to focus on patients and less time spent on administrative tasks that can become a time sink. Smaller companies, already stretched thin on resources, find this automation particularly useful. Instead of trying to do more with less, CCM platforms and services can augment your team with medically trained care coordinators that serve as an extension of your practice.
How TimeDoc Health Can Help Your Medical Group
Many benefits come with Virtual Care Management, but not all VCM providers are created equal. Enter TimeDoc Health.
Your Program, Your Way
How you choose to deploy TimeDoc Health’s industry-leading Chronic Care Management platform is entirely up to you. With the ability to select from individual CCM services to fill your existing program’s gaps, you and your team have a customized solution, expanding care for patients while enhancing revenue for your organization.
There are a broad range of tools, resources, and specialists available to medical groups and practices. Here are just a few of the services and benefits we provide:
- Drive clinical outcomes: Use actionable data to proactively improve your patients’ health, thereby reducing unnecessary hospitalization and emergency room visits.
- Multi-condition monitoring: Choose from blood glucose meters, scales for weight management, and self-monitoring blood pressure devices that are all cellular enabled to support monitoring of various chronic conditions.
- EHR-integrated technology: We support the use of your current systems by pushing patient data directly from our platform onto the patient chart in your EHR.
- Easy-to-use devices: Cellular-enabled devices that are preconfigured for any patient to use right out of the box without the need for smartphones, Bluetooth pairing, Wi-Fi, or monthly data plans.
- Automatic data collection: Devices automatically push readings into the patient dashboard on our powerful, web-based platform that displays biometric data in real time.
Get in Touch With the TimeDoc Team
Find out more about how TimeDoc Health helps medical groups and practices to increase efficiencies and reduce unnecessary costs.
Request a demo to speak with one of our team members. Learn how we can support your patients, your staff, and your business, today!