Patient Relationship Management Gains Recognition as Important Sector of Healthcare

Chilmark Research recently published its “2018 Patient Relationship Management Market Scan Report” and hosted a webinar to share some key takeaways it gained from talking with over 60 vendors in the space, including Navigating Cancer.

During the webinar, analyst Brian Eastwood described the current market dynamic for Patient Relationship Management (PRM) as one that is disconnected and fragmented for the patient. Patient engagement must go beyond the tools currently available. Healthcare providers need to be able to leverage information to improve care and give the patient a coordinated care experience.

That’s where the opportunity lies for PRM to change the way care is delivered. The challenge is creating a technology that can support multiple functionalities where healthcare organizations can support each other, information can flow between systems and the patient can play an active role. Eastwood shared this definition:

“PRM is the use of multiple modes of outreach (such as email, messaging, and mobile applications) to assist patients in monitoring their symptoms, managing their health, learning about their conditions, coordinating the care that they receive, and dealing with the various challenges of disjointed care delivery – all while living their daily lives between episodes of care.”

Most would agree technology still has to make some progress to deliver on that definition, but Eastwood predicts there will be significant opportunity in the future for technology solutions. As payment models like MIPS become more mature, providers and payers converge, clinical systems become more integrated, telehealth becomes more widely used and as patients continue to shift from just receiving care to being a partner in their care, the PRM market outlook will strengthen.

Eastwood highlighted what is needed to move the PRM market forward:

  • Incorporate non-clinical resources to support patient
  • Develop clear ROI models for PRM to show it has a direct impact on bottom line including acquisition, retention and cost savings
  • Tie investments to clear PRM gaps – identify areas of deficiency and address those first
  • Identify obstacles before they arise such as non-adoption, ability to scale and sustainability
  • Move to a more collaborative health record including widespread data sharing

A key takeaway: progress is slow, but keep at it. The status quo has to change and signs indicate the path forward is PRM. The need to improve the current state of healthcare and patient-centered care is paramount. In a fragmented market, it’s important to identify where the needs are, listen to patients from the beginning of their care as well as throughout to gain a better understanding of the opportunities to improve care. A PRM will not only enable better patient care, but will also enable an organization to track and understand metrics for improvement and demonstrate ROI, ushering in more widespread application.

If you would like to learn more about Navigating Cancer’s Patient Relationship Management platform or to schedule a demo – contact us today!

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