Care coordination software simplifies value-based healthcare for hospital groups and accountable care organizations (ACOs). It shoulders much of the administrative weight.
For this reason alone, many care providers utilize this tool when offering preventive health programs, such as Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) or Chronic Care Management (CCM).
Or, organizations use such software to streamline general continuous care coordination.
But what are the hurdles inherent to care coordination software?
As you know, nothing is perfect. So, what challenges can you expect when implementing or working with this tool?
As you shop for a solution, you’ll benefit by knowing generally what to expect. This will help you form reasonable expectations for your eventual purchase and stay on task.
At ThoroughCare, our expertise is derived from helping more than 600 clinics and physician practices develop forward-thinking, shared-risk patient care services.
Our intuitive software solution has played a vital role in this.
So, in this article, we’ll cover a few of the common challenges one can encounter when using care coordination software.
With this information, these elements will appear less like barriers and more so as simple aspects to take into consideration and work with, rather than against.
But First, What Does Care Coordination Software Solve?
As alluded to above, care coordination software solves the complex administrative needs of various patient services. Most of which answer to Medicare’s rules and regulations.
These can include:
- Chronic Care Management (CCM)
- Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)
- Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs)
- Transitional Care Management (TCM)
- Behavioral Health Integration (BHI)
Medical providers and clinical staff can easily manage service requirements with software tools.
Care plan creation, data collection and analysis, timekeeping for billing, and overall workflow processes are some of the common tasks made easy by software.
As telehealth and other integrated patient services become the standard in healthcare, this technology and similar digital tools will play a more pivotal role.
4 Common Care Coordination Software Challenges
So, what are the hurdles?
Below, we detail five common sticking points associated with care coordination software.
1. The Learning Curve
It can be steep!
Implementing care coordination software for wellness programs will require training. The nuance of this technology and its features can run deep. But have no fear!
Most vendors offer support.
Whether that be live, individualized training, video and written tutorials, or a responsive tech support team. Most companies providing care coordination software are prepared to help you.
On top of that, some options are designed to be intuitive. Through basic repetition of tasks, and a little time, you and your staff can become familiar with the tool fast.
Aside from the software, the rules and regulations associated with particular wellness programs present another learning challenge. But, as with software, support exists.
Some software companies will offer supplemental written or video content to educate you about specific program requirements. They can also point you in the right direction for additional resources.
2. Limited to No Integration With Electronic Health Records (EHRs)
Care coordination software and an electronic health record (EHR) are not the same. EHRs are not built for value-based care programs and their requirements.
Aside from that, integration between the two tools can be limited, if not nonexistent.
This can, at times, duplicate efforts, such as collecting and transferring data between them. Or, it can lead to general confusion if the lack of connection is misunderstood.
That said, some software providers do offer integration with select EHR options. So long as the EHR you use is covered, you’ll have a greater ability to synchronize both tools.
In the event integration isn’t possible, most care coordination software options make it easy to export patient data. By using a reporting tool, you can manually share information with an EHR.
3. Time Reporting and Billing
Care coordination software simplifies these administrative tasks.
But, only when it is used properly.
While time reporting features record billable minutes, and billing modules streamline CPT codes, ultimately — if these elements are used incorrectly — they will fail you.
This is less of a challenge with care management software. It’s more of a point about effective use.
It’s important to mention this because a lack of training or misunderstanding can impede efficiency. When this involves billing and meeting specific rules and regulations, that’s a problem.
Care coordination software will carry most of the weight, so long as attention is given to it.
4. General Downtime or Malfunctions
All software breaks (at some point).
But, can your desired care coordination software vendor guarantee a prompt response?
Some may do so by offering their clients quick-access platforms to communicate with their tech support team.
Others may embrace a slower, less open approach. Or not provide much direction at all.
Either way, as you shop for a software option, it makes sense to consider the company’s policies and practices when managing malfunctions.
Choosing a software solution entails more than a product. It involves a working relationship with the vendor. You’ll want to know their support options, plain and simple.
When the time comes, you’ll want assurance that the problem is in good hands, leaving you to focus on patient services.
Learn More About Care Coordination Software
Value-based care emphasizes health outcomes as a method to determine provider compensation. With alternative payment models, such as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), providers must report specific metrics and data to justify the rates they receive.
Within such models, satisfactory or improved health results can create opportunities for providers to receive additional incentives, such as shared cost savings. But how do you use software to implement value-based care?
Learn how care coordination software can help reduce your financial exposure within value-based reimbursement. Read more about how it can help your practice generate recurring revenue and cut costs.
Then, book a discovery call with a ThoroughCare representative to discuss how you’d like to use care coordination software to serve your patients.
