Schmuland
|
NATIONAL REPORTS — By leveraging technology consumers use every day, health plans and providers can coach and equip them to adopt healthy behaviors,
according to experts.
The Microsoft Health Engagement Survey showed that a majority of consumers want their insurers and providers to work together
to provide electronic coaching over e-mail and phone-the channels that they often use for communication-to proactively help
them improve health habits and coordinate care.
Sansom
|
"They want to receive health-promoting interactions like encouragement, fast feedback, reminders, alerts and conversations
with humans or software agents across the home, workplace and multiple devices," says Dennis Schmuland, MD, FAAFP, national
director, U.S. Health Plan Industry, Microsoft U.S. Health & Life Sciences.
"Even though health plans now offer a growing array of self-help tools, guidance, information and PHRs to their members on
their self-service Web sites, consumers either aren't aware of those tools, they don't think first of going to their health
plan for help, or they can't easily find or access the site," he says. 
Drane
|
There is a definite need for more health plans to join in, according to Nancy Sansom, vice president of product management
and marketing at Benefitfocus.
"In the last 12 months, our employer clients' level of interest in wellness tools and coaching has increased dramatically
as they see the value for integrating technology into their health and wellness programs," Sansom says, "and if plans haven't
implemented these types of tools, employer groups will force the carrier's hand to do so."
PLANS LEND HELPING HAND
According to the Microsoft study, consumers reactively turn to health Web sites looking for information about a current issue
instead of for prevention tips. However, consumers seem to be ready to incorporate technology into their health behavior.
Almost four in five of Americans find the idea of technology as a tool to solve their healthcare needs "inviting" instead
of "intimidating." While they prefer e-mail (66%) and telephone (57%) as the best communication means, some are open to text
messaging, instant messaging and videoconferencing.
Self-service portals are too much work, according to consumers. They prefer innovations that "follow" them and don't require
them to step out of their favorite digital world to, for example, log into a member self-service portal, according to the
survey.
"They want their health plans and providers to work together and use technologies to 'nudge' them in the direction of better
health," Dr. Schmuland says.
Health Care Service Corp. (HCSC), which operates the Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and
Texas, has multiple solutions to meet varied needs of its membership, says William Gerardi, MD, HCSC's vice president and
executive medical director of enterprise healthcare management.
To that end, HCSC uses automated electronic messaging to reach members, including a member-controlled health record that can
be accessed through an online portal. In addition, it has a presence on Facebook and Twitter.
"Likewise, we use automated telephonic messaging to reach members across the country," Dr. Gerardi says.
HCSC also is evaluating technology solutions that will use wireless devices to deliver clinical messages to members.
Sansom agrees that a plan should proactively reach consumers using a variety of methods.
"Each individual has a different preference on how they like to receive information, so health plans and employers should
give options to ensure it can become a natural part of their daily life," she says.
Traditionally, the healthcare industry has been prescriptive in communicating to people about their health, as opposed to
talking about health in the context of how life is actually lived, says Alexandra Drane, co-founder and president of Eliza
Corp.
"Interestingly enough, when we move away from paternalistic, clinically-oriented directives, we're more likely to help people
take steps to reach their own health and well-being goals," she says. "Beyond this, we have found that there is great value
in using analytics to infer the medium and communication style that is most effective for an individual."
For example, a quick reminder for younger members may be best communicated via e-mail, while a program that's designed to
enroll people with chronic conditions in health management is best deployed via an automated call that offers an immediate
transfer to a clinician.
