Using Technology to Bridge the Gap between Healthcare Services and the Consumers Who Need Them
At times conferences can feel like professional field trips — a chance to explore the industry outside our office walls, meet new people from various locations and discuss emerging ideas.
Two weeks ago, we had the opportunity to attend and speak at the annual Home and Community Based Services Conference (HCBS) in Washington, D.C. We learned a lot from fellow technologists and care providers focused on serving the country’s aging demographic through new and innovative solutions to various challenges, including reduced budgets and growing populations.
Since LinkLive is a provider for the Minnesota Board on Aging, being part of this conference, organized by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities (NASUAD), was important to us — as is staying up-to-date on industry needs.
While at HCBS, we had the privilege of joining Krista Boston from the Minnesota Board on Aging to address two separate audiences regarding the industry trends we believe are key to the next stage of digital healthcare for seniors.
Our Story with the Minnesota Board on Aging
During one of these sessions, Krista and I focused on the importance of leveraging a secure, cloud-based communications solution in order to better serve the needs of healthcare organizations, specifically those serving elderly populations. We illustrated the topic in a personal way by sharing the story of Minnesota Help Network’s evolution through the use of LinkLive’s cloud-based call center technology — essentially, Krista’s and my story.
The Minnesota Help Network, which is local-government-heavy and builds on existing home and community-based service infrastructures, is designed to provide the right information to the right people at the right time by connecting community providers with those in need of help with Long Term Care services.
As a part of this, the organization operates with the goal of a “No Wrong Door” policy, meaning that regardless of the phone number seniors may call, they will be directed to the correct resource designed to serve their needs. After evolving its technology, the organization’s network now consists of four channels — phone, in-person, print and online — designed to address this goal by streamlining agency collaboration and cutting cost, with LinkLive’s VoIP technology as the backbone.
Why the Story is Bigger Than Us
A critical issue currently facing every state’s healthcare system is also the industry’s chief problem today: the amount of spending needed to treat the sickest percentage of the population.
With baby boomers reaching retirement age, resulting in a rapidly growing senior population, the country is facing a major crisis in healthcare spending — at the same time that it’s trying to embark upon and expand its digital journey.
In the case of the Minnesota Help Network, LinkLive’s technology has succeeded in assisting its Information & Referral centers with improved population health and patient experience by enabling real-time collaboration and providing applications for better tracking, follow-up and care transition for patients needing long-term care. Due to the platform’s cloud-based SaaS model, it also did so with budget in mind.
This is why we believe that a secure, cloud-based communications platform can play an integral role in connecting patients to the right resources when they need them most at the best cost, and bridge the gap between their services and the customers who need them. We’ve seen it happen.
