Inspire: the 2024 MUSE Conference took place May 28-31 in the vibrant city of Denver, CO. This event brought together MEDITECH EHR users to share innovative ideas, valuable learnings, and opportunities to network with industry peers. Hosted by Medical Users Software Exchange (MUSE), Inspire spanned multiple days and covered many topics ranging from staffing optimization, member engagement in healthcare, and strategies to create efficiencies or boost revenue. Here’s a recap of the key themes our team took away from this meeting of MEDITECH users.

Advancing Technology for All

The healthcare industry has introduced many different patient-facing tools as well as technologies and often, they don’t all work together. During his session at the 2024 MUSE conference, Dr. Craig Joseph, CMO of Nordic Consulting Partners, highlighted the importance of Building Patient Engagement with Human Centered Design. He asked people to look at how the journey is connected, not just the points of member engagement in healthcare. Your workflow, EHR, and other systems should just work, making it effortless for patients. Start by “Getting Rid of the Stupid Stuff (GROSS),” for example:

• Streamline patient scheduling.
• Reduce check-in steps.
• Declutter patient portals.
• Automate routine processes.

Helen Waters, EVP & COO at MEDITECH, emphasized a full spectrum of care and connecting touch points along the patient journey. At the core of it all, she noted the importance of thinking about both Health and Tech Equity. “Techquity,” as defined by Techquity for Health Coalition, HLTH Foundation, is the strategic design, development and deployment of technology to advance health equity, and acknowledgement that technology can inhibit advancements in health equity if not implemented intentionally and inclusively. As we think about advances in AI for healthcare, it is imperative that techquity is at the center of it all.

Pragmatic Approach To AI in Healthcare

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a buzzword in many industry events, and the 2024 MUSE Conference was no exception. However, the focus here was less on new ideas and more on what organizations should do to prepare themselves for AI. Dr. Mark Snowise, during a panel conversation titled Lighter Load, Better Care: The Impact of AI, raised an interesting point, “We trust a doctor to open a chest and operate but we don’t trust them to open AI notes and edit before signing?” This statement opened the doors to the importance of responsible AI use cases, especially when it comes to patients.

Before diving headfirst into AI technologies, a panel including Randall Brandt, Rachel Wilkes, and Dr. Mark Snowise, discussed governance. They suggested creating cross-functional teams now to start conversations and gain alignment, even if AI isn’t yet in your plan. They also recommended tapping into partners for expertise, strategy, and policy language, so you can start with a solid foundation. AI is rapidly evolving and, while we can’t solve everything coming in the future, we can start with what we do know today and trigger the conversation within your organization.

Power of the MEDITECH Users Community

At the core of the MUSE organization is the ability to share knowledge and learn from each other. The small group sessions focused on specific challenges and knowledge sharing. Conference attendees were actively engaged with questions and sharing information, a true community event to learn from other healthcare organizations. 

At the end of the day, healthcare is all about people. The 2024 MUSE Conference was designed with the primary goal of connecting people. All attendees left inspired to bring new ideas back to their communities and the people they serve. The conference served as a reminder that together, we can drive significant change and improvement in the healthcare industry.

Curious how Kyruus Health has integrated with MEDITECH to improve care access? Learn more at kyruushealth.com/meditech-search-scheduling.

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In a recent AHIP webinar, Carol Kruse, former CMO of Cambia Health Solutions and Heather Burton, VP of Marketing for HealthSparq, held a conversation about marketing to members around price transparency. The conversation yielded some powerful insights for health plan marketing teams to consider as they craft their outreach, education, and engagement strategies for 2023.

In the session, Heather shared new research that found almost 60% of 25-44 year olds avoided care due to unknown costs. Surprisingly, the type of care they were skipping was likely fully covered by their insurance, including preventative screenings and annual wellness visits. Heather noted, “This really underscores the need for health literacy and education that goes beyond price transparency.”

As we look at how marketers can educate and engage their members, Carol shared insights from her experience at consumer brands EPSN and Coca-Cola, in addition to  regional health plan Cambia Health Solutions. “Our customer service team had so much heart, they weren’t timed to get off the phone but instead rated on if they helped the member solve all their problems. The human touch is just as important as what you are providing online….in your emails and words on the website, acknowledge and validate how people feel to help them understand. The health plan plays a very important role in helping people,” was one important insight Carol shared.

By pairing consumer research and best practices, Heather and Carol shared tips for engaging members with not only cost tools but with their benefits overall. With these insights in mind, below are three things marketers should do now, to be ready for January 1, 2023:

1. Understand your specific cost transparency member experience. Connect with product teams now, so you can share the value with members.
2. Generate internal excitement to build support with member-facing teams on how they can better engage members with their new solutions.
3. Create personalized and regular communications plans. Build the topic of cost estimates into your editorial calendar and educate on the basics of what is covered and how to find resources.

View the full AHIP webinar or download the Price Transparency Member Marketing guide for specific subject line and email copy templates, as well as additional tips for engaging members with price transparency solutions.

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The lack of understanding of where to find cost information is leading people to avoid necessary healthcare services. The HealthSparq Consumer Sentiment benchmark report found 44% of respondents have avoided getting healthcare services because they didn’t know the costs. And this is even higher among 18 to 34 year olds, with 63% avoiding care.

Health plans have an opportunity to support and guide their members, more than ever before. Consumers have been asking for cost information, and starting January 1, 2023, it will be widely available as part of the CMS Transparency in Coverage mandate.

Communication creates better understanding

Costs for common procedures often vary, depending on where you get care. For example, the median price of an echocardiogram can range from $200 at one location to more than $2,500 at a nearby hospital. Members need education on price variation–which provides a natural motivator to search and compare costs before getting care. This is a good place to start with member messaging, helping them understand the importance and the potential benefit to their wallet.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer behaviors dramatically shifted in a very short amount of time. Historically, it has taken 6-8 marketing or communications touchpoints to drive action. With a greater digital presence, information overload, and shifting expectations, this is increasing. Creating communications that cross multiple channels, including SMS/text as well as email, and appear throughout the year can help drive action.

Motivate behavior change with incentives

Beyond education, providing additional motivation can drive a quicker response. Rewards programs are one way motivate members to evaluate and select lower-cost or high-quality providers. An August 2022 survey conducted in partnership with Ribnik research, found only 17% of respondents with commercial insurance have an incentive program from their health plan or employer. Yet 9 in 10 are interested in a rewards program. Furthermore, 64% of those with commercial insurance are very likely to choose a designated high-quality provider for an incentive.

The time is now to start educating members on the new or improved tools that will be available next year. Help your members understand not just what is available, but also how cost transparency can benefit their wallet. Consider leveraging a motivator, like rewards, to drive members to take the first step and search before getting care–all in support of long-term behavior change.

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How are you guiding and engaging members with the new or improved experiences your teams have been buildling? As we get closer to bringing cost estimates for 500 shoppable services to consumers, it is important to consider how members are informed and engaged on their journey to find and compare healthcare costs. Research shows, members are looking to their health plans for help them as they navigate healthcare. In fact,

• 93% of people want guidance from their health plan to find care
• 60% of people wish their health plan offered more in-depth provider profiles
  

(Source: HealthSparq Annual Consumer Sentiment Benchmark Report)

Create engaged and loyal members by providing the tools and resources that help people navigate the complexities of healthcare — from starting the search for a provider to booking the appointment they need. Make sure you are giving people the information they need to make confident choices. Relevant, engaging experiences will keep members coming back to your digital tools. 

Make costs easy to find

The most important thing health plans can do to engage their members in cost transparency is making cost information easy to find. While 72% of surveyed consumers knew they could find providers through their health plan portal, there is less awareness on the availability of costs.

Make information easy to find for members and use clear terms and messages that focus on the benefits of cost information. Avoid using industry jargon and phrases like price transparency. Consider including shortcuts on your portal dashboard, plan a comprehensive marketing and engagement plan, and start using all your communications channels to educate your members now. 

Leverage employers for communication

We all know, the more times a message is seen, the more likely it is to be remembered when needed or, better yet, intersect with a need as it arises. The rollout of a mandated tool provides a unique opportunity to engage your employer groups to help deliver messaging about the new and improved experiences available to employees. Be sure to include information in open enrollment materials, creating excitement for what’s to come in January.

Guide members with information and incentives

Your members want personalized guidance and support to manage their care and expenses. First, delivering detailed information on providers can help members find the right provider for their unique needs. Kyruus Health guidance solutions support the 6 in 10 consumers surveyed who want more robust provider profiles and, when paired with Rewards, members are guided to lower-cost, high-quality providers. Next, providing details and timelines for complex treatments enables members to really plan for care in terms of costs and time. Finally, empowering members to take action on their care journey with in-experience appointment scheduling closes the loop on the search for care. 

Throughout the journey, Kyruus Health’s guidance solutions can create stickiness to keep members coming back again and again–all within a single experience.

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CMS’ Transparency in Coverage mandate and No Surprises Act legislation take the first step in creating greater cost transparency for members. But without education, people may not take advantage of the new cost information when planning their care. Before price transparency tools go live, it is important to consider how you will educate members and motivate new behaviors. Tools, such as financial rewards, are one way to motivate people to make smarter, more cost-effective choices.

Create motivation through healthcare financial incentives

Our recent consumer benchmark research report found 51% of people with a high-deductible health plan have avoided care because they did not know the costs. Regular communication educates members on how and why to search and compare costs but sometimes people need a friendly nudge to take the first step.

To understand consumer perceptions and interest in healthcare incentives, HealthSparq partnered with research firm Hanover, and found:

• 76% want their employer to give them tools to save money on healthcare
• 82% of consumers will choose a preferred lab to earn $25

Healthcare rewards programs encourage members to use their health plan tools to find high-quality or low-cost providers. Incentivizing members to choose a quality designated facility or to use a preferred lab can have a long-term impact on reducing costs and driving behavior change. Incentives as low as $25 can help move the needle.

Helping consumers take control of their spending will generate savings for your plan and employers. For more research and insights on driving healthcare savings, download the latest HealthSparq white paper, Realize Big Savings by Incentivizing Consumer Behaviors

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