Happy Thanksgiving! As we celebrate this truly American holiday, each of us is filled with gratitude for the good things in our lives – health, family, friends, career, hobbies, faith, and more.
What makes these things so important to us are the meaningful relationships we forge with others. Whether casual relationships with colleagues at work or years-long friendships from schooldays, this human connection is fuel for our soul. It’s no wonder solitary confinement is considered an extreme form of punishment for even the worst of criminals.
Speaking of punishment, lets talk about the sad state of healthcare today. Far too many people are in “solitary confinement” when it comes to relationships with their healthcare provider.
No, it’s not the fault of physicians or nurse teams; the system today is set up for quick, transactional interactions. It’s like an assembly line at an auto factory. Unfortunately, what works for Tesla doesn’t cut it for patients. We’re human, not car parts. We need to be heard.
It wasn’t always so bad. Healthcare used to be about deep human relationships. Your doctor knew you personally, sometimes for decades. This intimate relationship facilitated better diagnoses, better treatment plans, and better outcomes. Alas, no more.
How can we get that magic back in today’s tech driven, profit-first healthcare industry?
We have to bring back the human connection. The relationships.
This is not an easy thing to do, but at Twig Health we’ve cracked the problem through the re-architecture of care management.
Twig offers a clinical front desk that connects patients to a specific nurse that is in continuous communication with them throughout their care journey. When we say continuous, we mean it – patients text with their Twig nurse multiple times a day! In fact, they text back and forth as much as needed to resolve issues, provide support, and prevent problems before they even happen.
Over time, a trusting relationship is formed. This human bond keeps patients engaged and involved in their health. It improves their satisfaction and keeps them loyal. Twig is a white-label service, so the goodwill is to the provider or payor that our nurses are representing.
If you think Twig can help your care management and case management teams, feel free to give us a holler after the holiday.