How Aligned Are Your Physicians?

The national trend toward employed physicians has strategically altered the landscape for healthcare systems, expanding their geographic reach and enabling impressive scale. As many as 63 percent of physicians are now employed, up from 20 percent just a few years ago.The expected result is increased revenue through in-network alliances and a shared vision for improved patient care.

The challenge? Physician referral habits are proving to be harder to rein in than expected, resulting in a steady leakage of patients out of network. Despite network loyalty, research estimates suggest that as many as 25% to 35% of patient cases referred from employed providers are going to specialists and facilities affiliated with another health system. This amounts to as much as $40 million in lost revenue per year.

Secure communication platforms plug the leaks. By making it easy to find in-network physicians and providing instant access to message them directly, real-time communication systems change referral patterns and restore the revenue streams. The following strategies will help your organization align physicians and manage referrals to close one of the most vulnerable gaps in the health system.