The reasons why now is the time to focus on HRA

This has not been an easy year for anyone, and those in healthcare have clearly felt the strain.  With routine medical visits being postponed among so many other delays, this year is one we are all ready to leave behind.

With all eyes looking ahead, the importance of achieving high completion rates for Healthcare Risk Assessments (HRA) should be a critical component of every healthcare brand’s 2021 planning.   HRA’s are yet another way to connect with members and support their overall member satisfaction, in addition to serving a key purpose in risk management and mitigation.

For brands who have not made this a high priority in the past, there are a few hints on where to start:

  1. Set clear goals for how to approach completion rates across every sector of your member population.  From specific strategies to support those with special needs to a consideration for communicating in a members’ language of preference, several segments merit unique planning.
  2. Chart a new path for dialing strategies.  Member behavior patterns have drastically changed during the pandemic so be open to finding new ways and times to connect with them.
  3. Start now.  In my last article, I mentioned a path of 30 days to HRA success.  Ramping up with a partner is not as daunting as you might expect, but the benefits of launching in early 2021 are huge.

Our data-driven approach at OmniCare365 helps us quickly drive success for clients.  Regardless of what partner you choose to support your HRA communications, we highly recommend you follow this approach as well for optimum success.

About the author:  Matt Hunt is the CEO of OmniCare365, a customer experience provider with a practice dedicated to managing Health Risk Assessment communications on behalf of leading healthcare providers.

30 days to pave the way to HRA success

This is the time of year when we start planning for a stronger new year. For most, 2020 has given new meaning to this planning process!

The importance of maintaining high completion rates for Healthcare Risk Assessments has grown significantly. It is possible to hit 2021 running toward making significant improvements.

From contract to ‘go live’, we have launched projects in as little as 30 days. This seems aggressive to many but not when the proven track record of best practices are followed.

The process leads us to rapidly gain completion rates. On average, once an OmniCare365 representative gets a member on the line, we will complete the HRA 82% of the time. This is a significant improvement for most of our clients that is realized within the first 60-90 days.

In addition, the use of our bilingual teams to manage member communications in other languages versus traditional methods allows us to improve completion rates from a standard of 52% to nearly 90% across all our clients. An added bonus is the significant reduction in Average Handle Time for these calls.

By looking at traditional and non-traditional KPI’s for HRA communications–and managing closely- we can make a broad impact for clients rapidly.

The best way to start 2021 successfully is to get a running start by leveraging a model that has been proven and replicated across multiple healthcare clients across various States.

About the author:  Matt Hunt is the CEO of OmniCare365, a customer experience provider with a practice dedicated to managing Health Risk Assessment communications on behalf of leading healthcare providers.

How COVID-19 Changed HRAs

The year 2020 has been historic to say the least, and the far-reaching impact of this pandemic continues to be felt. Early in the pandemic, medical community members began to fear the worst as preventative health visits seemed to be put aside. As these delays began to reach weeks and months, the long-term consequences of such became an area of concern.

Healthcare providers rely on the data provided in completed Health Risk Assessments (HRA) to determine who is most at risk and how to intervene with preventative measures that can help their members. These measures often lead to healthier outcomes for their members. With routine medical check-ups being delayed, the HRA may be the only link to help a member who is experiencing mental or physical distress and may be in need of support.

In supporting many of these organizations before and during the pandemic, we have developed a series of best practices that support higher completion rates, particularly among the aging and special needs populations.  Some of these practices revolve around how to communicate with members.

Develop a Strong Dialer Strategy

Varying the attempts across different days and time of days along with more than 4 attempts nets higher completion rates. Historical performance shows highest completion rates using up to 8 attempts for each member without negatively impacting member abrasion.

Offer Multiple Communication Methods

Standard HRA mail delivery and phone outreach are only two options for communicating with members. OmniCare365 recommends a full matrix of outreach channels which not only increases completion rates but allows members to utilize the communication channel they feel most comfortable using.

Multiple Languages support

The need to utilize a language line to communicate with your members decreases completion rates by up to 20% and negatively impacts member experience. OmniCare365 establishes a certified bilingual team to ensure that each opportunity to complete HRAs for members needing a language other than English is fully maximized. 

HRA communications could be a life-saving measure for members facing a potentially serious medical condition or behavior that could lead to critical health issues. Healthcare providers should strive to reach record completion rates during these challenging times, and leverage as many tools as possible to establish this connection with their members.

About the author:  Matt Hunt is the CEO of OmniCare365, a customer experience provider with a practice dedicated to managing Health Risk Assessment communications on behalf of leading healthcare providers.

The Balance Between Sales Conversion and Superior Customer Experience

Sales brings smiles to leadership and commissioned front-line agents alike. Customer Acquisition is important to the overall health of a business, but retention is a success factor that should never be neglected.

This underscores the importance of striking a proper balance between sales conversion and maintaining superior customer satisfaction scores.  In my experience, we have found that focusing on the two items in parallel can lead to an increase in both metrics.

To accomplish this, it all begins with training.  The tips we shared as best practice behaviors all lead to this balance.  When agents are conversational and patient, the sales process flows more naturally and the prospect is more likely to either buy or at least remain a current customer.

Sales are critical but so is brand experience.  We recommend to our clients that average handle time (AHT) requirements remain flexible on all sales programs to protect the brand experience for the customer. Additionally, this improves the experience for employees as they are better able to focus on listening and responding to objections or customer concerns.

Although the statistics vary slightly by industry on the exact cost of retaining customers versus acquiring new ones, all brand leaders can agree that retention and customer experience should always be the primary focus.  Aligning to this mindset when planning and executing sales programs can truly make a difference in long term value for businesses of all sizes.

About the author:  Matt Hunt is the CEO of OmniCare365, a customer experience provider with a practice dedicated to managing Health Risk Assessment communications on behalf of leading healthcare providers.

Best Practices for HRA Success

Healthcare providers rely on the vital information gleaned from Health Risk Assessment’s to proactively manage the health of their vital members. Completing these assessments can be a somewhat challenging task for many providers to achieve in high numbers.

OmniCare365 developed a series of best practices that have led them to delivering stellar completion rates for their clients, even among high risk populations. Additionally, these best practices were built on the foundations of strict security / compliance guidelines and adherence to both quality and service level requirements.

When selecting a partner to manage Healthcare Risk Assessment outreach, OmniCare365 recommends that providers seek out those that adhere to these high standards.

Develop a Strong Dialer Strategy

Varying the attempts across different days and time of days along with more than 4 attempts nets higher completion rates. Historical performance shows highest completion rates using up to 8 attempts for each member without negatively impacting member abrasion.

Establish a Data-Driven Mentality

OmniCare365 reporting utilizes a sophisticated real-time data analytics platform, giving our client partners real-time access to all contractual Key Performance Indicators and detailed insights into how improvement initiatives are impacting the business.

Offer Multiple Communication Methods: Standard HRA mail delivery and phone outreach are only two options for communicating with members. OmniCare365 recommends a full matrix of outreach channels which not only increases completion rates but allows members to utilize the communication channel they feel most comfortable using.

Multiple Languages support

The need to utilize a language line to communicate with your members decreases completion rates by up to 20% and negatively impacts member experience. OmniCare365 provides a certified bilingual team to ensure we maximize opportunities to complete HRAs internally for your members needing a language other than English.

A True Partnership Mentality

Full alignment between OmniCare365 and our Client Partners are the key to success. Our suggested program cadence provides the necessary alignment and collaboration opportunities to consistently review, document and track program improvement initiatives that will positively impact the business.

Train your teams to be Champions

From overcoming member objections to showing empathy, specialized HRA training is an essential part of our team’s success. OmniCare365 established a clearly defined training program that includes a mock-call certification program that HRA Specialists must successfully complete prior to their first live call and considers this to be an important component to overall success.

Exceed Quality Monitoring Requirements

Little problems can quickly turn into larger ones if they are not identified early. OmniCare365 leaders recommend that HRA Health Plan providers insist on rigorous Quality Assurance monitoring to make the necessary adjustments that make the difference in completion rates, member experience and compliance.

Effective Coaching and Feedback

With strong data systems and strict Quality Monitoring in place, proper coaching that is well documented and tracked is critical to a successful coaching / feedback session and is integral to maintaining a culture of continuous improvement.

Accurate and Timely HRA Outreach and Compliance Reporting

The final step of providing exceptional HRA services to our Client Partners is through accurate and timely reporting. OmniCare365 understands the importance of the data that is delivered back to our client partners and is committed to providing weekly reporting that includes at a minimum, all outreach attempts made to each member as well as the outcome of each of those attempts.

High completion rates and great member experiences are the most obvious form of success for any HRA program. Following these best practices will ensure high completion rates that are balanced by superior member satisfaction and compliance.

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