IRVING, Texas, June 19, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- HMS (NASDAQ: HMSY) is launching a Crisis Management Outreach program that helps health plans efficiently communicate and share crucial health information with members before and during a natural disaster, prescription recall or other public health events. The program will launch today during the AHIP Institute and Expo in Nashville.
"When a catastrophic weather event approaches or prescription recall occurs, payers must communicate with thousands, or even millions, of members as fast as possible about their coverage and access to care, which is a major challenge," said Emmet O'Gara, group president, Population Health Management at HMS. "That's why we are excited about the opportunity to launch this solution at AHIP, so more payers and public health experts can learn how they can efficiently, effectively and compassionately reach more members in less time and provide the information they need to protect their health and safety."
The Crisis Management Outreach Program helps organizations fulfill their commitment to patient and customer safety by communicating with members through SMS/text messages, Interactive Voice Response or IVR calls, live agents and direct mail during emergencies and public health events. It is powered by HMS' Eliza health engagement solution – which is part of the company's Population Health Management suite, an award-winning* portfolio of solutions that provides analytics, engagement and technology to help reduce costs, improve health outcomes and enhance the member experience.
As part of the launch, Ellen Harrison, vice president of Population Health Market Strategy and Consulting for HMS, will deliver a presentation on "Compassionate Communications: How Proactive Planning for Member Outreach Enables Rapid Response During a Crisis," today at 5:55 p.m. CT in the Presentation Theater of the Exhibit Hall.
Real-World Case Studies: Targeted Proactive Outreach in Less Time
In the presentation, Harrison will share a recent example of how this nimble, proactive member outreach was delivered in advance of Hurricane Florence in September 2018. In less than 24 hours, three leading health insurers launched a massive telephone-based outreach to members in the impact area around the Carolinas utilizing HMS' Crisis Management Outreach Program. More than 2 million calls were made in the days leading up to the hurricane's landfall. Members were reminded to fill essential prescriptions and also were assured that their health and medical needs would be met in the days and weeks after the storm.
Another example Harrison will share involves a Fortune 500 retailer facing a widespread prescription recall. The client's pharmacy team worked with the HMS team to develop a telephone script in English and Spanish. The same day that the retail pharmacy was notified about a recall, affected customers received a phone call with the recall date and whether they must discontinue the medication. HMS' Crisis Management Outreach Program also followed up with information via direct mail. The hybrid IVR and direct mail program increased the probability that customers received important safety information.
"Behind the scenes, these organizations have extensive pre-planning and cross-departmental team collaboration in place that allows a rapid response," Harrison said. "They also engaged HMS as a business partner to create a solution that enables them to reach massive numbers of members quickly. In short, they've moved from a reactive stance on disasters, to one that is proactive – where they take an active role in managing their member population's health and well-being."
The AHIP Institute & Expo is one of the largest annual conferences for health insurers and managed care professionals. In 2018, the event drew more than 2,500 attendees from 47 states and seven countries, representing 900 organizations. HMS also will exhibit at the show in Booth 1007 from June 19-21, 2019 in Nashville, Tenn.
About HMS
HMS advances the healthcare system by helping payers reduce costs and improve health outcomes. Through our industry-leading technology, analytics and engagement solutions, we save billions of dollars annually while helping health plan members lead healthier lives. HMS provides a broad range of coordination of benefits, payment integrity, care management and member engagement solutions that help move the healthcare system forward. Visit us at http://www.hms.com or follow us on Twitter at @HMSHealthcare.
SOURCE HMS
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