In this series, we’re talking about how your healthcare organization (HCO) can support caregivers who are caring for your patients and members and why it makes good business sense to do so. Remember, giving caregivers the resources and support they need leads to:
- More satisfied patients/members
- More conversions by showing your HCO’s value proposition
- Healthier patients/members by helping your patients/members adhere to their care plans
Let’s review what the series has covered so far and will cover:
- Part 1 discussed the guided journey you can offer for caregivers
- Part 2 discussed how you can connect caregivers to support systems and services
- This article, Part 3, will discuss the logistics of caregiving
- Part 4 will discuss caregiver types and the various permissions needed for each
- Part 5 will discuss the importance of open and quick communication among HCOs, patients/members and caregivers
Be mindful of caregivers’ logistical challenges
Many healthcare organizations (HCOs) are accustomed to dealing with consumers only within their service areas. But family caregivers often present a new consideration because they may not live with the patient or member. For example, I’m a caregiver for my father, and I don’t live in the same city as he does. This can make it more difficult to:
- Coordinate appointments
- Get him to appointments on time if I can’t take him there myself
- Ensure he’s taking his medications regularly and in line with his providers’ recommendations
Of course, caregivers should talk with their loved ones about these challenges. Together, they can make plans about how to get the patient/member to needed appointments, help find strategies for medication compliance and so on. But patients/members — particularly if they’re older — may not fully understand the instructions they receive from providers. And they may not be able to share that information with family caregivers in an accurate, timely way.
This can make the care experience more difficult and less effective for your patients/members. But there are steps your HCO can take to ease the burden on everyone involved.
Share information and solutions transparently to ease challenges
Transportation issues are a significant hurdle to healthcare for many patients/members, particularly those who are older, have problems with mobility or who otherwise can’t drive themselves to appointments. Your HCO can help address these situations by incorporating transportation solutions into your appointment scheduling and patient portal experiences. Options include:
- Nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) available through Medicare, Medicaid and some state government programs
- Rideshare services, including Uber Health and Lyft Healthcare
- Local public transit
- Taxi services
For caregivers who may be traveling to bring their loved ones to appointments, make sure listings for care locations on your HCO’s website include links to driving directions (such as on Google Maps). This can save steps and improve the experience for caregivers who may not be as familiar with your service area and locations.
Within your digital experiences, make sure you include a prescription medication adherence tracker that allows caregiver access. This can help caregivers ensure their loved ones are sticking to their care plans. It can also help jumpstart conversations among patients/members, caregivers and providers about:
- Overall health and wellness
- Concerns such as polypharmacy (the inappropriate use of multiple medications)
- The patient/member’s ability to live independently
How you can help caregivers and patients/members by addressing logistics issues
First, providing logistics solutions can provide ease of mind to your patients/members. When they don’t have to worry and stress about how they’re going to get to their medical appointments or whether they’re taking their medications as they’re supposed to, they’re in a better mindset to listen to their providers and align with their care plans. This can lead to better outcomes overall.
Secondly, these solutions can lead to peace of mind for caregivers too. They know they have the resources they need to effectively care for their loved ones. This gives them the time and resources to focus on their loved one’s care, rather than how to get them to appointments or make sure they’ve taken their medication on time.
These solutions make both the caregiver and their loved one feel more confident in the care your HCO makes possible. It builds loyalty to your organization. You’re less likely to lose your patients/members to the competition if it’s easier and more convenient for them to seek care with you as opposed to your competitors.
You can also build on that as a point of differentiation. If you’re leading the way in your service area in terms of easing the care process for patients/members and their caregivers, targeted marketing campaigns and content to that effect in your marketing materials may help draw consumers in.
Caregivers’ logistics issues aren’t easy, but they are solvable
Nearly every aspect of family caregiving is a challenge, but the challenges aren’t insurmountable. When your HCO provides the resources caregivers need, you ease their burdens — as well as those of your patients/members — and build loyalty that lasts. We can work with you to provide a high-quality caregiver experience through our caregiver enablement approach. To learn more, or to schedule an introductory workshop, contact us.
And don’t miss Part 4 of this series. We’ll discuss distinct types of caregivers and what permissions, responsibilities and resources each type needs. See you then!
