3 Strategies for Better Primary Care Panel Management

Primary care practices are facing a number of challenges, but one of the most difficult is finding the time for panel management and care gap closure efforts. As primary care providers are asked to do more with less, it's important to find effective strategies for managing these tasks.

Here are three strategies that we recommend:

1. Review Patient Charts before Reaching Out - Use care gap lists provided by health plans as a starting point, but always conduct a chart review in your EHR to verify the purported care gaps. Care gap lists can be useful for identifying potential areas for improvement, but they are not always accurate. Conducting a chart review will help reduce friction with patients from inaccurate outreach and identify any gaps in care that may not have been included on the health plan's list.

2. Save Time by Using Technology - Use patient engagement technology to automate repetitive tasks and improve the patient experience. Automating tasks such as chart reviews, outreach, and appointment scheduling can free up time for your staff to focus on more important work, and it can also provide a better experience for your patients.

3. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel - Make sure whoever is leading the panel management and care gap closure work is an expert in patient outreach best practices, scheduling workflows, and care coordination. This person should have a deep understanding of how to effectively identify care gaps, review charts, reach out to patients, schedule appointments, and coordinate care across different providers.

At HealthHelper, we are committed to helping primary care practices improve their panel management and care gap closure processes. We offer a range of panel management solutions, as well as expert support for developing and implementing effective strategies for managing these tasks. Contact us to learn more about how we can help your practice.