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New initiative urges people to learn about their care options
06.05.2012
Inappropriate use of hospital emergency rooms is a significant driver of high healthcare costs and diminishes the ability of these providers to handle true emergency medical conditions. Experts say that individuals should educate themselves on urgent care benefits and know where the nearest immediate care provider is located.In order to help more patients learn about urgent care benefits, communications company Evive Health recently launched a new program that provides individuals with information about local immediate care facilities. The information is personalized to each participant's location and is placed on a keychain fob or wallet card.
Prashant Srivastava, the company's chief operations officer, said that people do not stop to look at information on various care providers and weigh the pros and cons of each medical office when they are injured or sick. They simply go to where they know they can receive treatment for their condition. This is why it is important for individuals to know their options before they need care.
"Providing relevant personalized information about nearby in-network urgent care and retail health centers on a wallet card or key fob can significantly increase the likelihood of consideration of the alternatives rather than simply rushing to the ER," Srivastava said.
He added that inappropriate emergency room use costs the healthcare industry more than $4 billion each year. Since these providers are set up to handle heart attacks and strokes, their operations are less efficient when it comes to treating ear infections and sprained ankles.
Individuals can help fight this problem by educating themselves about the options they have available in their area. This may lead to lower healthcare costs and more accessible treatments for everyone.
Categories: Urgent Care Services
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