Streamlining referrals in primary care to find the right specialists using the right data

How provider data can plug in to improve efficiency of PCP referral workflows, resulting in healthier, more satisfied patients

Referral management is a foundational aspect of well-connected primary and specialty care, enabling healthcare providers to guide patients down a path that meets their total care needs. Yet without access to a single source of accurate and comprehensive information on providers, vetting the right providers for referrals takes time and due diligence, delaying the process for patients in need. As provider referral volumes skyrocket, it is critical to find a scalable way to view and act on provider data instead of switching back and forth between systems.

To deliver the best care for patients, providers must have confidence that their referrals are going to the right place and patients are reaching the right specialists, whether in-person or through virtual care. As the tech-enabled primary care space has become increasingly crowded, ensuring connected patient experiences will not only support better health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs, but also establish brand loyalty and differentiation from the competition.

Provider Referral Management Streamlines Total Patient Care

About one in every 10 visits to a primary care provider results in a referral, most commonly in GI, cardiology, or dermatology. But PCPs often struggle to coordinate patient care and communicate with other health and social service providers, resulting in:

• Patients being sent out of network or to the wrong specialist
• Patient confusion and interrupted care
• Inability for PCPs to easily integrate preferred providers into their referral workflow
• Wasted time that could be redirected to patient care
• Inefficient referral processes that inhibit the ability to scale 

Often, provider referral management systems rely on complicated tooling to navigate provider information and subsequent fields. But how accurate is the information powering it? How often is it updated? How is the information validated?

Ribbon delivers a comprehensive provider data platform, including provider performance data like cost and quality metrics, to help enable accurate, personal, high-quality referrals that support a positive care experience and limit network leakage. Using Ribbon data, primary care partners have been shown to:

• Reduce time spent per referral by up to 80%
• Increase the number of referrals per day by about 3x
• Significantly improve the efficiency of care coordinators

Ribbon helps primary care providers get patients to the right doctors the first time, while ensuring high satisfaction ratings, navigating accepted insurances, and verifying network compatibility. All of this ensures patients have clear directives for their provider referral appointments and are more likely to make them, leading to better health results and increased visibility into the entire journey for PCPs. That’s the power of high quality data in action.

Learn more about how Ribbon uses data to simplify provider referral management for PCPs and patients alike.

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