East Orlando Chamber of Commerce: What Comes Next - Reopening Healthcare Facilities

By DOROTHY HARDEE

COVID-19 is causing us to have to rethink how we are doing business in 2020. No doubt, it is the single greatest disruption of our lifetime. A few months ago, healthcare providers locked down their facilities to prevent the spread of the virus, shutting down key clinical service lines and canceling patient appointments keeping in line with federal and local government guidelines.

With a month of Phase 2 under our belts and everyone anxious to get the economy moving, it is not easy for healthcare facilities to simply flip a switch and resume normal operations. During the East Orlando Chamber’s June Healthcare Council Collaborative Virtual Meet & Greet hosted by The Bridge at Orlando, healthcare professionals were given an opportunity to discuss areas of concern in facilitated breakout rooms.

Each small group addressed employee safety, protocols and any back-up plan in the event of an employee diagnosis. They also discussed how the practice was using technology and telehealth to connect with patients in addition to any challenges encountered by patients or staff. Finally, from the marketing perspective, how they were connecting with patients to reschedule visits and procedures. Plus, if staff was having to take on multiple roles to build the book of business and any incentives to encourage success.

As participants shared feedback highlights from each breakout, the takeaways were impressive. We expected adherence to the CDC guidelines with social distancing, temperature checks and masks. But some went further to ensure overall safety to include using cars as a waiting area or preliminary room for a brief doctor visit. Doorbells were installed to alert staff of a visitor before entering the facility. One person per elevator was implemented, as well as stairwell sanitation, something few had considered. While we have seen an uptick in the number of practices using Telehealth, there were still several seeking to determine the best platform for the practice and patients.

The greatest discussion surrounded small practices and need to be proactive in prevention measures since an outbreak would close their entire business. Dr. Colin Bartoe, Functional Neurology Chiropractic Center, and his team are diligent about temperature checks, sanitation measures, using technology when possible, masking and communicating the need to self-quarantine if anyone is feeling poorly. For larger systems dealing with surgery or major procedures, patients are required to have a pre-surgical COVID test to ensure they are virus free. If a patient fails to have the test, the procedure is automatically cancelled. Any positive results would require a 14- day quarantine followed by a COVID test afterwards to clear the patient.

As for Marketing, attendees were hungry for ways in which to connect with patients leveraging technology and target marketing opportunities. While email is the quickest form of communication, it is by no means the best as we all get inundated with a record number of email communications daily. It was recommended to reach out to possibly 5-10 patients daily to begin building your book of business. This would result in a touchpoint of 50 patients weekly with approximately 20-25 scheduling appointments.

Given the feedback from our event, it made me wonder how others are dealing and possibly thriving during this crisis. The Harvard Business Review looked at how Geisinger Health System is moving away from their previous business model, embracing a strategic and operational innovative approach rather than a damage-mitigation exercise focused on solely restoring revenues. They have implemented in-house patient and employee testing to prevent transmission, as well as dedicated staff for contact tracing. They have ramped up Telehealth visits going from 40 per day to more than 4,000 per day, and waving co-payment associated with these visits for their members, helping to shift patient perception. They encourage use of a mail-order prescription service resulting in cost reductions and greater adherence by patients. In addition, the use of work-from-home capabilities has expanded their talent pool and reduced costs for real estate from administrative space to clinical space.

Geisinger has promoted the transition to a value-based payment model rewarding prevention and good outcomes rather than increased procedures. COVID-19 shows us that if it is to be, the transition must be meaningful and well beyond what has been seen to date. What are your thoughts on the focus of prevention and good outcomes? Is this a model your practice could embrace to weather a similar crisis in the future? Be part of our next Healthcare Council Collaborative when we offer a Virtual peer to peer referral forum and breakout for Central Florida physicians. Mark your calendar for Thursday, August 6^th at 8:00 AM to participate.

The East Orlando Chamber has launched a NEW opportunity for EOCC Members to address the need for direct primary care. We have partnered with Avalon Insurance Services, Inc. to offer exclusively for members and employees of those companies a Direct Primary Care (DPC) program. The DPC membership model (Healthcare 2U) provides affordable and convenient access to excellent primary medical care, wellness, and chronic disease management for individuals ages 2 to 65. It also accepts pre-existing conditions within management ranges.

Through this proprietary Private Physician Network (PPN), it is breaking down the barriers to convenient access to quality primary care with a focus on promoting healthy living while preventing disease. In addition to doctor visits, urgent care visits and annual physicals with four labs plus unlimited chronic disease management for 13 chronic disease states (within manageable range), the plan also offers Telehealth services online or by phone 24/7/365. The plan has a prescription benefit program covering over 200 medications for $1 each and a list of others between $5 and $10, saving you big.

Healthcare2U is not insurance. It provides an annual healthcare membership based on the Direct Primary Care model consisting of a flat and affordable fee. The program is available nationwide. For those with no insurance, this is a great option.

Need more? Check out the Clever RX Prescription Savings Card for EOCC members, saving you up to 80 percent on prescription drugs at virtually all major pharmacies.

For those concerned about membership renewals, we offer a payment options for most of our levels so you can continue investing in your business. Give us a call at 407-277-5951. We are working remotely, but always available by phone, email or virtually.

Remember, we are in this together and the East Orlando Chamber is thinking differently for members. #EOCCCares.

Dorothy Hardee is the administrator of the East Orlando Chamber of Commerce.

UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENTS

Virtual Scattergories After Horus featuring Alzheimer’s Association

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

4:30 – 5:30 PM

The Member Academy: Roadmap to Member Success

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

9:00 – 10:00 AM

How to Create Irresistible Offers with Will Perry

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM