How Automation is Transforming Home Healthcare

Woman using Synzi on her laptop

Virtual care technology is transforming how home health care is delivered.  In addition to being able to virtually connect with patients for a video-based call, agencies are using virtual care platforms to automate many administrative functions.  As a result, agencies are repurposing available staff capacity while optimizing staff’s productivity to reach and engage more patients, more often.

Medication Reminders and Self-care Guidance

Throughout the episode of care, patients may need ongoing reminders which highlight how, when, and why they should adhere to their prescribed medication regimen in order to prevent avoidable and costly rehospitalizations.  The Annals of Internal Medicine reports that nonadherence causes nearly 125,000 deaths and 10% of hospitalizations, costing the US healthcare system between $100–$289 billion annually.

Home health providers use Synzi’s communication platform to schedule and automatically send emails and texts to provide education and motivation for better medication compliance.  Agency administrators can also program a cadence of messages which reinforce appropriate exercise and nutrition modifications.  A series of ongoing messages can help patients practice better self-care in-between scheduled in-person and virtual visits.

Immunization Reminders

Home health agencies support their referral partners by encourage patients to obtain needed immunizations.  Critical vaccinations can protect patients against serious diseases like shingles, pneumococcal disease, hepatitis B, and seasonal flu according to the CDC.

Home health agencies use Synzi’s automation functionality to quickly share a consistent and timely message to patients about the importance of timely vaccines.  For example, agency administrators can schedule a flu shot related message before and during the flu season for applicable patients.  Time-sensitive communications about needed immunizations will help patients address potentially avoidable health issues complications such as the flu.

Emergency Preparedness Communications

Home health agencies know that healthcare preparedness communications are essential to ensuring that their patients are ready for potential natural disasters.  Synzi’s broadcast message functionality platform enables agencies to easily create and automatically send out a text or email to all patients to ensure they are ready for a potential emergency.  The automation saves valuable staff time (and related labor costs) which would otherwise detract from the ongoing delivery of care.  The platform also helps agencies report back to the state that patients were contacted and received an emergency-related communication.  In addition to the broadcast messaging capabilities, Synzi’s platform helps agencies continue to maintain the continuity of care – even when staff can’t physically reach their patients’ homes – with the virtual visit functionality.

Evening Care and Tuck-in Services

Automated tuck-in services also helps reduce the risk of readmissions with high risk patients.  Home health agencies are using Synzi’s platform to program and automatically send a series of messages with medication and care availability reminders.  With Synzi’s HIPAA-compliant platform, home health administrators are repurposing staff time typically used to make phone calls by automating the delivery of critical evening and pre-weekend patient communications.  Synzi’s virtual care technology is actively supporting agencies’ teletriage services by helping staff minimize avoidable ED visits and rehospitalizations.

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