Our Work: Reducing Disparities

Large Health System Partners with TRCG to Drive Patient Engagement and Outcomes

Background

A large, multi-facility health system in an urban environment faced significant challenges due to restructuring and the transfer of service lines. This system serves a diverse patient population, many of whom experience health disparities, with middle and low-income individuals making up the majority. Community infrastructure changes, such as public transportation modifications, further impacted patient engagement and outcomes. With the shift to value-based care, understanding the drivers behind patient outcomes became crucial for the health system.

Client Challenge

The health system needed to:

  • Understand how community changes impacted patient engagement and outcomes.

  • Drive patient engagement for a specific patient type across different clinical settings.

  • Improve outcomes for patient cohorts with historically disparate results.

TRCG Approach

To address these challenges, TRCG implemented a multi-faceted approach:

  1. Analysis of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH):

    • Conducted in-depth interviews with patients and clinicians to identify critical "micro-moments" in patients' lives that significantly impact their health interactions and outcomes.

    • Analyzed how these factors influence patient engagement and overall health outcomes before patients even enter the healthcare facility.

  2. Bias and Equipment Review:

    • Conducted a comprehensive review to identify biases embedded in the clinical infrastructure, ensuring compliance with the new HHS OCR Section 1557 regulations.

    • Assessed the effectiveness of medical equipment such as Pulse Oximeters and eGFR diagnostics across different patient demographics.

    • Collaborated with manufacturers to mitigate identified disparities and improve equipment effectiveness.

  3. Digital Patient Engagement Tool:

    • Developed a mobile-based digital engagement tool designed to guide patients through their healthcare journey, simplifying navigation and providing health management tips.

    • Focused on enhancing patient interaction with the health system and promoting better health management practices.

Timing

The project is structured as a multi-phase initiative, scheduled for completion over 18 months with several key milestones throughout the timeline.

Client Touchpoints:

  • Bi-monthly Progress Meetings: Regular updates to keep the client informed and engaged throughout the project.

  • Regular Milestone Reviews: Detailed reviews of progress against key milestones, allowing for adjustments and ensuring alignment with project goals.

  • Workstream & Project Reviews: Comprehensive assessments of workstream and project outcomes, lessons learned, and future recommendations.

Expected Results

While the project is still in progress, we anticipate significant improvements in patient engagement and outcomes due to the following:

Patient Behavior: We anticipate significant improvements in patient engagement and outcomes. Our thorough analysis of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) will help ensure the effective development and deployment of out patient-centric digital engagement tool. This serial approach allows us to incorporate specific patient pain-points into our solution as we aim to facilitate easier access to healthcare resources and improve patient self-management.

Clinical Infrastructure: Our targeted strategies to address embedded biases within clinical practices and equipment will provide our client’s clinicians better information and results for their patient population. Our manufacturer partnerships will ensure our solutions effectively bridge clinical practice with manufacturer design — resulting in clear, correct, and contextual information.

This comprehensive approach, combined with continuous monitoring and iterative improvements; we will positions this health system to effectively address the unique needs of its diverse patient population, leading to enhanced patient-clinician interactions and better overall health outcomes.

Updates will be provided on how our interventions have enabled better patient-clinician interactions and enhanced the effectiveness of clinical equipment.

Why TRCG

TRCG stands out due to our:

  • Experienced Team: Led and staffed by professionals with decades of experience in Digital Health, Quality, and Regulatory compliance, including roles at leading and startup medical device manufacturers.

  • Unique Expertise: Our team has a deep understanding of Quality, AI/SaMD/CSD/Imaging, and consulting, enabling us to develop world-class Digital Health solutions.

  • Commitment to Health Equity: Passionate about reducing embedded bias, we ensure that our solutions effectively serve a broader patient demographic and meet the latest HHS and FDA regulations.

  • Proactive Approach: By addressing the root causes of inefficiency, market access challenges, user adoption issues, and customer satisfaction concerns, we help clients stay ahead of regulatory changes and market demands.

Conclusion

At Thomas Regulatory Consulting Group, we are dedicated to helping healthcare systems navigate the complexities of digital health and regulatory compliance. Our proactive, patient-centric approach ensures improved patient engagement and outcomes, ultimately driving success in value-based care environments. Contact us to learn how we can help you achieve your goals.