Like many healthcare providers, Nathan Littauer Hospital found it challenging to reach its patients. Most phone calls to patients went unanswered, and an overwhelming number of voicemails were ignored. This lack of engagement had serious consequences, both financial and clinical — from appointment no-shows to readmissions that could have been avoided by following up on recommended care. Recognizing that patients are much more likely to read and respond to text messages, the health system prioritized its implementation of Expanse Patient Connect. By leveraging the solution’s automated and secure texting capabilities, Nathan Littauer Hospital was able to overcome patient outreach challenges and improve staff satisfaction.
“We needed to find a more consistently successful way to engage our patient population,” said VP and Chief Information Officer James Wellman. “With Expanse Patient Connect’s broadcast messaging, we were able to do just that. Staff love it because it’s very effective and easy to use. And patients have been responsive.”
Available in over 100 languages, Expanse Patient Connect includes a Spanish option that has also been important to the facility as Mohawk Valley's Spanish-speaking population continues to grow.
Reducing no-shows
Expanse Patient Connect has helped the health system achieve significant improvement in its no-show rates. Implementing the solution substantially decreased patient no-shows by 25% — from 12% to a consistent rate in the 9.0% range.
“Our no-show rates really fell off a cliff once we started using Expanse Patient Connect for appointment reminders,” said Wellman. “The change was so drastic that we initially thought there was some issue with our data. But the numbers were correct and have held steady ever since.”
Reducing the number of no-shows also allows Nathan Littauer Hospital to fill canceled slots with new appointments, decreasing potential lost revenue.
Easing phone call burden on staff
Wellman noted that the healthcare organization has observed a dramatic reduction in the volume of phone calls — both incoming to staff and outgoing to patients — as well as fewer missed calls. After implementing Expanse Patient Connect, the facility saw a 43% decrease in outbound phone calls compared to the same month the previous year. This decrease translated to over 28 hours saved in one month alone.
“Freeing staff from needing to answer or make phone calls has given them time for more productive tasks, such as obtaining authorizations and getting clarification on prescription orders,” said Wellman.
Engaging patients in their care
Recognizing the value of encouraging patients to engage with their care team, Nathan Littauer Hospital uses Expanse Patient Connect messaging to direct patients to the patient portal, where they can review their preregistration information. The messaging has resulted in a marked increase in portal usage. After implementing the solution, the health system recorded a 70% monthly increase in total preregistration views.
Looking ahead, Nathan Littauer Hospital will be implementing a new centralized call center and will begin using Patient Connect’s bidirectional texting feature.
“This is big for us, allowing us to further increase engagement with our patients,” said Wellman. “We plan to use Expanse Patient Connect's messaging campaigns to promote flu clinics and boost patient participation.”