May 2023 Closing Healthcare’s Greatest Gap

The fragmentation of the American healthcare system is usually cited as the main cause of its inefficiencies and the resulting negative impact on patient outcomes, quality of care, and costs.  The primary cause of this fragmentation is often attributed to the lack of communication and coordination among healthcare providers. This is, no doubt, a major factor that must be addressed if America is ever to lose its unenviable designation as the costliest healthcare system in the world.

But it’s not only the lack of communication and coordination among healthcare providers that makes the system inefficient; it’s also the confusion and fragmentation experienced by the American healthcare consumer when navigating the healthcare system. With its multi-disciplinary specialties, wide range of services and multiple access points to different levels of care, the complexity of the healthcare system makes it difficult and time-consuming for consumers to find the right care at the right place at the right time.

In addition, the fragmentation of healthcare negatively impacts the effectiveness of follow-up care and support. Health is a lifelong pursuit, not a static condition. Staying in good health is a continuous process. A person’s health requires not only the resources that treat and cure a medical condition but also resources that maintain and promote well-being. Once a patient receives care, the healthcare system should continue to provide support throughout their lifetime and help the patient stay healthy. Unfortunately, for the most part, it doesn’t.

HEALTHCARE’S GREATEST GAP

Why is this the case? In large part, it’s because there is a gap between the two major sectors of the health system. The $4.3 trillion healthcare industry and the $450 billion wellness industry operate, for the most part, in disconnected, separate silos, creating healthcare’s greatest gap. The inefficiencies created by the disconnect between these two systems—a lack of communication, follow-up support, education and motivation for patients after care is delivered—contribute significantly to the unnecessary gaps in care and higher costs that have plagued the American healthcare system for decades.

The healthcare system does provide some follow-up care for certain chronic conditions. But for the most part, it is up to the individual to provide the impetus, motivation and engagement that make follow-up care effective. Even if the patient happens to have an annual wellness checkup, their primary care provider can hardly expect to provide in one day the level of support needed for an entire year.

But what if we could close this gap between the health and well-being sectors?

What if we could replace a fragmented care experience with a seamless continuum of care that is always there for the patient —in sickness and in health?

What if we created an integrated, end-to-end consumer experience that delivered well-being, care navigation, and value-based care services to serve the 65 million Americans by 2025​ who will be covered by value-based plans in 2025?

The demand is there: 81 percent of consumers are unsatisfied with their healthcare experience and are interested in using a unified digital solution.

Closing healthcare’s greatest gap would transform the consumer healthcare experience, providing the support, knowledge and motivation to help members make smarter healthcare decisions, wherever they are on their health journey, and creating new efficiencies in communication and care navigation that would:

• Lower Costs
• Close Gaps in Care
• Support Preventive Medicine
• Increase Member Satisfaction

Find out how Onlife is closing healthcare’s greatest gap. Contact us today for a 1:1 demo and put us on the hot seat!