A new online program called Wellbe (developed by Wellbe, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin) is revolutionizing the patient experience at a major facility in Wisconsin. Patients undergoing knee or hip replacement surgery now have more affordability and accessibility, says Curt Kubiak, CEO of the Orthopedic & Sports Institute of the Fox Valley (OSI).
“We’re operating within a price-limited environment, meaning we’re responsible for managing patients within that budget. In addition to controlled facility and administrative costs, Wellbe helps us save time in data capture and patient education, improving efficiency and the overall patient experience, which allows us to drive down costs and pass along those savings to patients, ” said Kubiak in the November 3, 2016 news release.
Kubiak told OTW, “This decision was led by the desire to treat more patients with more complex orthopedic issues. The overall objective was to increase the patients we could reach with services that met our goals of 1) less expensive 2) better quality—as evidenced by infection rates, ER visits and re-admission rates—and 3) superior patient satisfaction as recorded by our surveys. The Total Joint Program at OSI has produced better results in all areas while maintaining its open and inclusive platform to many patients and all payers.”
“The most difficult component of a TJR [total joint replacement] program in an ASC [ambulatory surgery center] is to establish the proper plan design to meet patient, physician, and surgery center objectives. In order for TJR to be effective in an ASC the service must deliver improved cost, quality, and patient experience. The OSI model ensures patient safety and quality with a robust screening process and well-established protocols for surgery and pain management.”
“Nearly every private paying total joint candidate can participate in the OSI ASC TJR program. We measure infection, ER visits, and re-admission rates to ensure the highest quality. The OSI model goes further with online patient education/carepath guidance from Wellbe, as well as patient amenities such as parts custom-made for each total knee and total hip patient to make the experience phenomenal.”
“Finally, but not least important, is the cost control component, where OSI’s price bundling provides a significant cost savings as well as patient convenience with a single bill in the mail. Patients love the idea that they will not receive multiple bills weeks after surgery with confusion over how much they owe to whom. Patients know the total cost before surgery and are able to plan their financial affairs. Planning and communication of the plan design remove a lot of patient anxiety.”
“I would suggest that facilities contemplating an outpatient total joint program partner with a group that has already started a successful program. Any facility could start a program on their own, but it would take far longer and cost far more than if they would leverage the experience of other groups that have successfully implemented a total joint program. It helps particularly with third party services such as payers that may be more comfortable with an established program versus an upstart.”
