CareSense, a new patient information and support program integrated with Epic, has quickly gained favor among outpatient physicians and their patients preparing for and recovering from surgical procedures.
Initially piloted with a handful of orthopedic surgeons last December, the program now includes more than 500 participating patients from providers in eight service lines – hip, knee, spine, pancreas, colorectal, heart failure, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).
Using texts, emails and automated phone calls through a third-party vendor, CareSense provides patients with care reminders, post-surgical educational materials and surveys to monitor symptoms and concerns. Targeted materials are easily accessible and timely, helping to reduce missed appointments, lower cancellations and improve patient satisfaction.
The program is already resulting in improved patient satisfaction as more physicians express interest in using CareSense in their practice. Office staff have reported a significant decrease in the number of patient phone calls and emails, with various offices reporting from 30 to 65 percent decreases. When patients rate CareSense, they consistently give it the highest score.
Plans are in development for broader rollout of the program to other practices and service lines in the near future.
