Being Prepared for Natural Disasters: How Automated Outreach Technology can Help Save Lives

CipherHealth's Voice solution can Call or Text Patients with Important Information During a Storm and Help Home Health and other agencies Comply with New Rule.

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CipherHealth

Sep 19, 2017, 10:58 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of the recent hurricanes and with more on the way, it's all the more important to be prepared and have an emergency plan in place. This is essential for higher risk groups like those on Medicare and Medicaid and those who need at-home medical assistance.

That's why last year, The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a long-awaited rule on emergency preparedness that goes into effect this November for all home health agencies. HHAs and other Medicare-certified providers will be required to meet emergency preparedness standards—or face the risk of losing national payor reimbursements.

Included in the new rule, agencies must develop an Emergency Plan that can be used in the case of any disaster and adopt new policies and procedures based on that emergency plan. They must also develop a Communications Plan that meets both state and federal laws and includes communication with patients, prior to a foreseen disaster.

One of the most critical elements of any emergency plan is the use of an effective notification system. That's where CipherHealth's automated outreach software, Voice, comes in. Voice can assist providers in reaching out to 100% of their patients in the event of an emergency. Voice can inform patients on upcoming emergencies and help providers take the necessary steps to ensure their patients are prepared.

In the case of an emergency, Voice has the ability to:

Notify patients if there is a change in scheduling
Triage calls if patients are in need of items prior to emergency
Proactively contact patients to address questions or concerns during a disaster
Inform patients of emergency protocols

In the event of an emergency, it would be challenging to contact all patients manually, especially in situations with quick time frames. Voice's multi-call option allows for frequent outreach throughout the day. The software can also be used to contact patients via calls, texts, and emails. Using Voice maximizes valuable staff time and helps to make sure patients have the knowledge and supplies they need to make it through any emergency safely.

For more information, go to www.Cipherhealth.com and the blog post about the new Emergency Preparedness Rule.

SOURCE CipherHealth