There are many things in this world that make us happy and bring us joy. Sometimes when those great things are combined with other wonderfully, great things they become AMAZING! Simply put…they are Better Together. Here are a few of those amazing things:
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Milk and cookies – especially chocolate chip!
- Netflix and your couch
- Danny and Sandy
- Wine and Cheese
- Fall and pumpkin spice everything!
This list can go on and on. I’m sure you already thought of 5 more. What does this have to do with the healthcare industry? What comes to mind when you hear payer and provider? By themselves they are good. Payers enable us to pay for checkups that keep us healthy. Providers take care of us when we are sick and payers help us pay for that care. Payers and providers go hand and hand. So why aren’t they always “Better Together”? The good news is they can be. With a few strategic initiatives focusing on increased collaboration the old saying of “two heads are better than one” will hold true.
When payers and providers don’t collaborate, the patient suffers. They end up dealing with challenges from both sides. How many times have you dealt with multiple bills, billing errors or hidden costs followed by phone call after phone call in an effort to correct the problem? It’s a cycle that becomes very frustrating. Payers and providers need to join forces and coordinate efforts that will drive improved service and positive patient outcomes. What good is Netflix without a couch to cozy into? When a team approach is put in play it will inevitably lead to better patient experiences, increased quality of care and financial wins for both sides.
Sharing data is an important first step. Technology offers payers and providers a plethora of options to improve access to data and transparency into processes. The use of online portals and automated solutions encourages communication while promoting better efficiency and accuracy. We live in a technology driven world, so why shouldn’t payers and providers take advance of new technologies that will drive them to better heights. Payer and provider collaboration, and a strategy to become Better Together, is key to improving patient satisfaction and delivering better health outcomes.
