Reducing ER Visits by Improving Patient Communication

Reducing ER Visits by Improving Patient Communication

The Challenge

Our client, a medical clinic, was experiencing unusually high emergency room (ER) visit costs. After diving deeper into the data, we discovered that many of these costly ER visits were preventable. The root cause? Missed and unreturned phone calls. Important calls, including appointment reminders and follow-up requests, were not being properly tracked, leading patients to feel neglected. In frustration, many patients sought care in the ER instead of receiving timely assistance from the clinic, driving up both hospital and subsequent costs.

Our Approach

We identified the critical issue: the clinic lacked a clear system for tracking and managing patient calls. To resolve this, we developed a customized dashboard to monitor and track all patient communications. The dashboard provided real-time insights into key metrics, such as the number of calls received, missed, and pending follow-ups. This tool empowered the clinic’s operational team to ensure that no patient calls were overlooked, and it prioritized call-backs to patients most at risk of turning to the ER for care.

The Outcome

With the dashboard in place, the clinic was able to significantly reduce the number of missed or unreturned patient calls. As a result, patients received timely responses and appropriate care, preventing unnecessary ER visits. The clinic saw a marked decrease in ER utilization, leading to lower overall costs and improved patient satisfaction. By addressing a seemingly simple communication issue, we were able to help the clinic improve its operational efficiency and reduce the financial burden associated with ER visits.